


Curious (Oct 1983)

by Salmoneili



Series: HACF: Cam and Joe are just messing me up ... [2]
Category: Halt and Catch Fire
Genre: Climax score keeping, F/M, Sex in every room challenge, So wet with all this rain, Weekend fcuk-a-thon, What kind of steak do you like?, arguments and misunderstandings, lockdown - Freeform, naked housework
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:48:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 39,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26932384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salmoneili/pseuds/Salmoneili
Summary: Cam and Joe have been together for a few months now.There's a storm raging over Dallas, so they're staying at his for the weekend.There maybe some 'storms' inside too ...#LOVERS IN LOCKDOWN!!!In progress ...Sexually explicit - will warn in chaptersUpdate - Jan 23 2021 - Rating changed from Mature to Explicit for content (sex) from chapter 13Stay safe - Salmoneili
Relationships: Cameron Howe/Joe MacMillan
Series: HACF: Cam and Joe are just messing me up ... [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1929043
Comments: 11
Kudos: 10





	1. Saturday Morning: Breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  'HACF: Cam and Joe are just messing me up ...' Series Notes  
> This all started with a simple idea to expand on the night of COMDEX 90 from Cam’s POV and then flipping it for Joe’s.  
> I got more than a little carried away… and they turned into epics.  
> Then I wanted to explore their relationship at different times, reflecting on their development as they change and grow, their history and quirks.  
> All the parts try to follow the HACF timeline and events depicted on the show as closely as possible, with a bit of creative license about events only referred to.  
> Exceptions  
> \- plot deviation when Cam and Tom tried for a baby  
> \- post-Ryan's suicide, Joe's apartment is in San Jose not San Francisco  
> The series is pretty racy – mostly Mature only, maybe could even be Explicit in place (sex only). You have been warned.  
> Some parts have a sprinkling of Easter eggs for other Lee Pace characters from TV shows and movies.  
> Feeding my obsession.  
> These are the current list, and I’ll upload more parts as I finish them.  
> So far there’s ….  
> S1 - ‘Stuck’ (June 1983) and ‘Curious’ (Oct 1983) (in progress)  
> S2 – NEW as of Jan 2021! ‘Goddammit’ (June 1985)  
> S3 – ‘COMDEX 90 (Cam)’, ‘COMDEX 90 (Joe)’ Friday, Nov 16 1990  
> S4 – NEW as of Jan 2021! 'Segue' (Oct 1992) and ‘Phone Call’ (Mid-Oct 1993)  
> Post-canon – ‘Fate - Part 1' (March 1998), ‘Fate - Part 2' (March 1998), NEW as of Feb 2021! 'Snippets' (A collection of shorts post-Fate (Post-March 1998) in progress)  
> \-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
> Lovely HACF fandom and readers - I would much appreciate some feedback and/or kudos.  
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Between Season 1 episodes 5-8 (See End Notes for HACF timeline)

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 1

9.36 a.m. Saturday, October 29th, 1983.

Cameron Howe woke up to the loud sound of rain. It’d started last night and according to the forecast it was in for the whole weekend. 

Not for the first time she was alone in her boss and now boyfriend, Joe MacMillan’s king size bed. It was a usual occurrence that he got up earlier than her.

Over the rain, she could just about hear the occasional noise coming from the other side of the apartment. 

Her nose told her breakfast was being prepared, her stomach growled, confirming it.

She looked out the bedroom large window, Dallas looked gray and miserable. The rain drummed almost horizontally against the window due to the driving winds. 

It wasn’t quite the same ferocity as the hurricane back in August, but she extremely was glad she was inside all the same.

She decided to go and find Joe and left the warmth of his bed. She found her tee-shirt and panties neatly folded on his unused vanity dresser. 

As was his habit, he rounded up and tidied clothes from wherever they were hastily discarded in the heat of passion. 

Last night, they'd started in the kitchen and made it as far as one of his two armchairs in the living room.

It was useful for her, as she didn't need to hunt high and low for her clothes.

But she shook her head; she didn’t know if cleaning was just an odd habit or some sort of compulsion for him. 

She was completely the opposite, and often found herself the target of his wrath.

However, she wouldn’t tolerate any of his bullshit, and gave as good as she got as she was a born fighter.

It was something that they were still working out between them.

But they’d had a fun night the night before, cleaning issues aside. They had great sexual chemistry and enjoyed each other’s bodies immensely.

Joe was in the kitchen cooking on the stove. She sneaked up and wrapped her arms around him from behind, she liked how he jumped and then relaxed back into her. He was so warm, and she snuggled into him.

He was wearing an off-white long-sleeved tee-shirt with the arms pushed up, it hung loosely over his black sweatpants. His hair, while not messy, lacked the styling products he overused on workdays.

She loved his casual look.

He looked so different from how he projected himself at work, all sharp suits and even sharper hair.

‘Good morning,’ she purred happily.

‘Well good morning, sleepy head. I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed,’ he said smiling, lifting up one arm and trying to turn around and kiss her, but she was holding him too tightly.

‘Sounds good, I’m more than happy to take you back to bed,’ she said flirting, ‘What have we got?’ she asked peeking around him into the pan, she could see eggs, but her nose told her there was bacon as well.

They’d stopped off after work last night and went food shopping to stock up on supplies and she'd seen him put some in their trolley.

'Their trolley', Cam tried the phrase out again, the use of the plural pronoun thrilled her.

The domestic task was strange for both of them. 

They’d done it a couple of times now, but both being loners, it still felt peculiar. They shared looks and some nervous giggles over choosing what to buy, never having actively planned to have a whole weekend in each others company before.

It’d been fun and easy. Not everything was between them, but after few months together now, they were trying to make room for one another.

She knew he disapproved of her over reliance on orange soda and junk food, but he surprised her by keeping quiet as some of her favourite snacks found their way into the trolley. 

She had to admit that she ate considerably better when she stayed at his.

It was by unspoken agreement that they'd be at Joe's. 

There just were too many people living and hanging about at the house she was sharing with some of the other coders from their workplace at Cardiff Electric.

While on occasion he did stay over, they were still very much enjoying the newness of their relationship. As they were so physical, it was much easier and less embarrassing for everyone when they were at his. 

Besides, his bed was bigger and firmer; he'd always complain of back ache and cold feet at hers. Beds would always be an issue for him as he was 6' 5". 

Anyway, they weren't just limited to the bedroom at his, so it was better. They both seem to revel in the freedom.

She marveled how quickly their relationship had evolved. 

They’d had sex the first day they met, not that she counted it, they were both rather drunk and she’d actually left not long after they’d started as he’d pissed her off. 

But the spark had been there from day one. 

They’d both felt it and had tried to resist its pull.

They failed.

Once she’d started working at Cardiff, she’d started using him for sex, despite the fact she thought he was an arrogant asshole. 

She lied to herself that because of that, she wouldn’t fall for him even though she found him attractive.

They’d been fucking, ostensibly to help her get ‘unstuck’ while she was trying to write the BIOS for Cardiff Electric’s new portable computer, newly named the Giant. 

Joe had personally headhunted her and convinced her to leave her final year at Austin Tech, before she graduated. 

He’d gone along with the sex, initially to keep her on track, and he had a ravenous sexual appetite. 

He’d thought that she’d write the BIOS and then would be gone in a few weeks. 

But she proved her worth and had been a valuable asset.

He’d convinced himself that it was solely because of her talent and nothing to do with the feelings he’d started to develop for her. 

It was the best sex Cam’d ever had and it was getting better the more they ‘practiced.’

He was 13 years older than her at 35, but she’d been growing in confidence the more she learned. 

It helped her start to be more empathetic, although she had a long way to go. 

While she helped him feel young again. 

Reclaiming the youth that though no fault of his own he'd had to cast side earlier than others had. 

At times it’d felt like a battle of wills between them, that was part of the attraction and had become part of sex too. 

He seemed to enjoy shocking her, and she took it gamely. 

But he was generous with her as well and let her experiment on him.

But neither had wanted to admit that they had started to care for the other. 

They were both loners and had traumatic childhoods. 

Joe had the dubious honor of winning that round with not only a near death experience but being lied to by his father for over two decades that his mother was dead after he'd sent her away. 

Cam only had lost her father when she was nine and then had a mother who was more into substance abuse than her young daughter. 

It affected them in different ways, but neither were good at dealing with their emotions.

Joe mostly hid his behind a mask or went on the offence, and Cam would often lash out in anger too.

But it’d shocked Cam when he’d finally told her how he'd got his scars and about his parents.

The different parts had come out over one traumatic night, and it had been difficult for both of them.

He’d only found out that his mother hadn’t died when he was 11 a little more than a year ago, as his father told him the truth after she actually had.

So he had the fresh pain and the knowledge that she’d been alive and he could have known her for another 23 years, but his father had prevented it.

He had buried his anger, rather than deal with it.

Well, he’d mostly buried it, he’d hit out once in dramatic style and caused millions of dollars worth of damage to his then and his father's current employer, IBM.

The knowledge about his past had softened her to him, and she understood he’d previously lied to her for self-protection. 

He hadn’t been just playing her, as she’d thought at the time. 

That was back in August, and things had changed a lot between them since then. 

That would be part of the reason that they would be bound together, but there was more to it. Their connection was something that none of their other partners would ever be able to break between them.

After the hurricane, it helped that everybody at work had found out about them too, and they didn’t need to sneak around any more.

They’d basically fallen into a proper relationship by accident. 

It was just assumed that they were dating, neither had professed to loving the other. 

Although they both did. 

It was new territory for them.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Mmmm ... bed sounds good,’ he said flirting back, then continued reeling off their breakfast menu, ‘So there’s scrambled eggs with bacon and there will be buttered toast, in about five minutes.’ he said sounding proud, ‘And there’s coffee,’ he inclined his head to the coffee maker.

‘Ooh, fantastic!’ she said and then she shivered against him.

He was able to turn in her arms now, ‘OK, Miss Howe, go get a sweater, take one from my closet if you need to and go back to bed, I’ll bring this in soon.’ and he ducked down for a long lingering kiss.

‘Hmmm, yes, Mr MacMillan, sir,’ and she smiled up at him.

He playfully swatted her backside as she went out the kitchen.

On the way back to the bedroom, she decided to put some music on his stereo, she’d been trying to educate him, and had brought a selection of her tape cassettes over. 

Mostly she hated his music, although there were some that she’d not known before and had liked. 

She’d knew who David Bowie was, of course, but had never really listened to his music. She thought he was pretty cool for an old guy.

Mostly, he disliked her music, but for some reason was more tolerant when she played it. 

As long as it wasn’t too loud anyway, which was annoying. It was always better played loud.

She looked through what she’d brought over and selected one of her Blondie albums, knowing that he liked the striking lead singer and knew some of their releases that had charted. 

His hi-fi volume wasn’t usually allowed over 7 and she’d discovered that he was annoyingly particular about such random things. 

Although, Joe’d said it was for the neighbors, she didn’t believe him as he never considered anyone’s feelings at any other time.

She’d washed up and put things away once after he’d cooked, but he’d got mad because things weren’t cleaned properly and nothing had been put back in its ‘right’ place. 

He also was angry that her stuff was ‘everywhere’, calling her ‘messy.’ 

It wasn’t as if she had much there, although oddly, he seemed to have even less.

But he’d pissed her off and, in her defence, she’d called him out for being obsessive and a clean freak. 

They’d had a big fight over it and just as she'd angrily packed up and was going for the front door, he apologised and begged her to stay.

She’d still been mad at him and that added something else to the make-up sex. She'd enjoyed it immensely.

She put the volume up to 8, to see if she could get away with it and if not maybe his anger would spark something else. 

She went back to the bedroom.

She’d brought a sweater, but she’d worn it a lot in the week and it needed washing. 

She resolved to ask him if she could do a load later. She knew he had a washing machine, and he did some there, even if all his suits and work shirts got laundered. 

She didn’t think they’d be wearing many clothes this weekend anyway.

She ventured into his walk-in closet with awe and trepidation; it wasn’t a place she’d been in often. 

Most of her clothes either stayed on the floor where they’d been discarded during sex or he tidied them neatly away putting them on the vanity.

It wasn’t as it she needed to hang them up anyway as the ‘just-rolled-out-of-bed’ look was in vogue. 

Besides, they’d look out horribly of place against his racks of expensive tailored suits and shirts.

It was immaculately organised as well, she mused that it probably used feng shui or some such nonsense. Her clothes were bound to disrupt its chi.

For Christ’s sake, even his shoes had their own shelves!

There was a box of different polishes, brushes and special buffing clothes. 

An image of him, humming to himself while he cleaned them on his day off popped into her head. She didn’t know why in all her cleaning fantasies, he was buck naked … and she suppressed giggle. 

His many ties were neatly rolled and precisely spaced out on more of shelves. 

She’d checked while he was showering one time and there were no marks, he must have done it all by eye. She couldn’t find a ruler either.

Most of her clothes had come from thrift stores or bargain rails. Although, with her pay checks from Cardiff in the last few months, she’d been treating herself to some better-quality ones.

Her style was in complete contrast to his, it was kind of trashy punk, though it was more by accident than design. 

It was purely functional; she pretty much wore the clothes she liked until they were literally falling off her. Holes and rips were all the rage anyway.

She looked for a sweater in amongst the casual clothes he owed, which were in a few drawers and some more rails behind a sliding full-length mirror. 

He had some, not that she’d ever seen him in one yet, but they were in the middle of fall now and it had been quite mild until this weekend.

She chose a black sweatshirt, not realising it was the top to the pants he was now wearing. 

It swamped her and she rolled the sleeves up, but it was lovely and warm.

She got back into bed just as he came in. 

‘You own a tray? she was surprised, she'd only seen him eat at the table and it wasn’t as if he owned a TV or a couch. 

‘The previous tenant must’ve left it, I found on the top of the units when I moved in.’ 

She correctly guessed that he’d cleaned when he moved in. Geez, he really was a clean freak, who cleaned the top of their kitchen cupboards she thought, but decided against saying anything, as she didn't want to upset the mood.

‘So, how is this going to work?’ from what she knew of him now, she couldn’t imagine he’d like getting his bed messed up.

‘Huh?’ as he passed her a mug of coffee and pointed to the bedside table. She sighed and turned to put it down where he wanted.

‘There will be crumbs, Joe, and you’ll get all … pissy.’ she pointed out.

He put his mug down on his side.

‘I do not get 'pissy', and so you’d like to sleep with crumbs, would you?’ There was an edge to his voice, disproving his words.

Cam took a breath, shit, thinking she'd annoyed him already.

‘Besides,' he started, and he raised his eyebrows twice at her, and gave her a secret smile, 'I have just the thing.’ and he went out again.

She looked after him in confusion.

He returned moments later with something behind his back, enjoying her look of bewilderment, ‘I’ll give you three guesses.’

Cam rolled her eyes, but she was charmed by his playfulness and allowed herself to smile.

OK, then … ‘Ermm, a dustpan and brush?’ going for the most obvious answer.

‘Nope, that’s one down.’ he said, now smiling, like she was never going to get it.

She creased her forehead thinking. It couldn’t be his vacuum cleaner if he could hide it behind him.

God, it pushed her buttons when he was so smug.

She was hungry and breakfast was getting cold now, enough playing. 

‘A vacuum cleaner?’ knowing she’d lost.

His face dropped and he revealed a mini car vacuum cleaner, ‘You saw it!’ he said accusatively.

‘I did not!’ she laughed nervously, she could tell it could go either way and she didn’t want something so stupid ruining the relaxed mood. 

She held her hand out to him, ‘Come here, that’s awesome! Let’s eat, it looks wonderful.’

He relented and half smiled, 'OK.' Still a little annoyed he hadn't outsmarted her, but he didn't want to fight over it either.

‘Thank you, Joe.’ and she leaned in to kiss him. 

She was genuinely touched that he had done something so sweet for her.

Breakfast passed without further incident and he removed the tray, ‘I’ll go wash up, if you can vacuum … please.’ he asked her nicely, and he plugged it in for her.

She inspected the bed; she couldn’t see any crumbs on his side. She wondered how he’d managed that. Not that there were that many on hers, she could just use her hand to brush them off. But she knew he’d listen for the noise, so she dutifully switched it on and pulled the covers back, running it over inside the sheets and under the pillows.

She was just finishing up outside of the covers when he came back and sat against the bedspread and put his bare feet up.

'Perfect timing.' she said indulging him with one of her dazzling smiles. Her belly was full and they had the whole day ahead of them, with no work, no Giant lurking to interrupt their play.

‘Thank you.’ he said, smiling back, and she handed him the vacuum as the plug was on his side.

She curled herself into him after he put it down and he placed his arm around her shoulders and let his hand rest lightly along her upper arm.

They watched the rain beat against the window. 

‘Man, it looks brutal out there.’ he said.

‘Is another hurricane coming?’

‘I don’t think so, just a big storm. But we’re only getting the wind and rain here, it’s further off, south I think.’

She hugged him closer, stealing his natural warmth and got comfy, resting her head on his shoulder and her hand went to his chest, drawing little circles with her fingers on top of the material.

She saw his foot was tapping along to strains of the album coming from the living room and she smiled to herself.

'Do you like the music?' she asked tentatively.

'Yes, but it's a bit loud, Cameron. You think I don't know you turned it up ...' he trailed off, as if he was trying to reign himself in, 'I've told you before.' he added more gently.

She replied, trying to keep her voice even, 'It's just because of the rain, it's not as though we can hear it in here very well, let alone across the hall.' she said, also trying to resist her natural combative nature. 

Before he could say anything else, she launched into a review.

'So this is Blondie, as you know, but this is an old album now, they put one out last year, but it wasn't a patch on this and they've actually broken up now too, which is a shame. I love the singles on this, there's 'Hanging on the Telephone', that's the one you like and then there's 'Heart of Glass', which is my favorite, but it's on the other side.'

She felt him clench and unclench his jaw. He decided to let it go ... for once. 'Yeh, it's good.' he conceded. 

They sat there for a few minutes enjoying the spectacle, the sound of the rain and Debbie Harry sounding tinny over the distance thump of the music.

Cam pulled the covers over her legs and pushed her feet under his, which were lying on top.

‘Are you cold?’ he asked.

‘A little.’ she replied.

'I know something that’ll warm you up.’ and he leaned in to kiss her.

Cam smiled knowingly, her body already responding to his.

‘Take off your panties.’ he instructed her, in his best 'boss' voice.

‘Why, yes of course, Mr. MacMillan, sir.’ and she obliged.

They smiled at their role play. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HACF timeline
> 
> -Thurs, Jun 30 – Cam has a new manager at Cardiff, Joe calls her unprofessional. Cam get annoyed and goes to clear things from Joe’s apartment and meets Joe’s father. Joe & Gordon have dinner with the Japanese vendors.
> 
> -Fri, Jul 1 – Cam tells Joe she met his father. KYCD Car Smash – Joe & Cam get it back on.
> 
> -Aug 15-21 Hurricane Alicia, landfall Thursday 18
> 
> \- Mon night, Aug 15 – Cam calls Joe out for lying about his scars and tells him he needs to be authentic  
> – Tues, Aug 16 - morning, Cam arrives home, doesn’t tell room mates, YoYo or musician where she’s been (she missed his gig on Mon night). YoYo gives her special version of RPG, which she plays and it inspires the new OS.  
> \- Tues, Aug 16 - at Cardiff, Cam tells Gordon and Joe about new OS.  
> \- Tues, Aug 16 - night – Cam is stuck, and sleeps with musician.  
> \- Wed, Aug 17 - morning - Cam's working on new OS, declines YoYo's lift to Cardiff.  
> \- Thurs, Aug 18 – Coders start to work on the new OS. Altercation with Gordon in the bullpen, after Gordon tells all & the coders learn Cam is sleeping with Joe. Cam stays at office with Bos. Gordon looks for a Cabbage Patch kid for Joanie. Joe goes to dinner at Gordon/Donna’s and later goes to Cam’s, tells her the real scar story. Stays the night at hers. Assume Cam and Joe are together now.  
> \- Oct 17 Mon – Joe's meeting with Simon, Joe tells Cam about their relationship and she learns he's bisexual.
> 
> ‘Curious’ timeline:
> 
> \- Oct 28 Fri – 30 Sun – Cam and Joe spend the weekend together at his ...
> 
> HACF timeline
> 
> \- Nov, Thur 17 – Cam hacks the bank for Bos.  
> \- Nov Fri 25 – Bos arrested.  
> \- Nov 27 Sun – drive to COMDEX (28-30 Mon-Wed) Cam splits up with Joe because he backs Gordon's decision to remove her OS  
> \--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. Saturday Morning: Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: sexually explicit content

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 2

10.38 a.m. Saturday

Joe moved and pulled the covers over them both, kneeling between her thighs their tongues locked together in a slow delicate dance. 

His hands went to her thighs, slowly working their way up the outside and disappeared under his sweatshirt and her tee-shirt.

Her hands weren’t idle either, delving under his top and pushing it up. He let her break their kiss briefly while she pulled it off him.

With unhurried practice, Joes’ hands skimmed her stomach, making her shiver and squirm, she chuckled into his mouth and tried to say his name, to get him to stop tickling. 

He broke the kiss again momentarily as he yanked up both tops, peeling them off her, throwing them outside the covers.

He quickly went to cup her breasts, and his fingers found her nipples, giving her quite different sensations.

She moaned, inarticulately.

One hand went to his sweatpants, slipped effortlessly down the front and she realised he wasn’t wearing any briefs. Her hand wrapped itself gleefully around his cock.

She liked how it started to stiffen more in response to her touch.

It was his turn to groan into her mouth.

Her other hand went to his buttock and eased his sweatpants down his thighs.

Joe sighed ardently and rocked his hips encouraging her to tighten her hand around his quickly engorging cock.

He opened his knees to allow a deeper stroke, which pushed hers wider. Before he could do anything else, she broke their kiss, 'Lie on your back.’ she ordered.

Joe did as he was told and looked up at her with desire.

She’d grown in confidence in the last few months of being with him. 

Unlike her previous partners, he was happy to let her take charge.

She’d found it strange at first, he was her boss and usually such a control freak.

But she reasoned maybe it was precisely because he was the boss all week at Cardiff that he easily relinquished the power to her in the bedroom, or wherever. 

She guessed he needed a break from it, and she was only too happy to oblige.

Now she revelled in making him do what she wanted and taking her pleasure. She'd never be able to go back and be so passive with a guy ever again.

The white sheet turned into a tent around them.

She could feel her lust rise in response to his. She was already wet and so without needing any foreplay, she leisurely sunk down on his cock.

They watched each others' responses, as his cock filled her and it turned them on more. Their eyes burning with desire.

Joe’s lips quivered as he moaned, and Cam's mouth opened and her head went back.

He arched his hips up, coming off the bed and at the same time he pushed her hips down forcefully, she felt him deep inside her and there was a delicious pressure on her clitoris from his pubic bone. 

The overwhelming sensations caused her whole body to pulse and she leaned forward, blindly putting her hands out onto his chest to steady herself.

He held her up by her hips and slowly dipped his down, pulling his cock with them, not quite out of her. 

Cam’s eyes opened wide in protest at its loss and she let out a long exhale, ‘Aaaaaaahhhhhh.’

He smiled and let them rock up again, impaling her fiercely, loving her sharp intake of breath as he filled her completely again.

It was exquisite for both of them.

Joe steadily increased the speed and intensity of his thrusts, and Cam could only pant and hold on for dear life as he relentlessly pounded her, her knees losing contact with the bed on every upward stroke. 

She stabilised herself by spreading her fingers and digging her nails into his pecs, his small nipples were hard and sticking into her palms. His skin bulged out between the gaps and she inflicted fresh pain every time he plunged into her.

It added a delicious dangerous edge that made him want to fuck her harder. 

In response, she flexed and tightened her grip each time.

The effect circled them both upward. 

She would leave him marked with a matching set of five deep semi-circles for the next week.

‘Are you near?’ he asked her, his voice sounding hoarse.

She could only grunt in response but gave him a curt nod.

‘OK.’ and he slammed up into her with even more force, making the mattress bounce so hard that Cam felt she was a rodeo cowboy trying to stay on a bucking bronco. 

She was glad of his hands holding her hips, as her knees lost contact with the bed permanently.

Joe’s whole body tensed, and he rammed upwards, burying himself to the hilt in her silky passage. 

His buttocks contracted involuntarily as he came. 

He clamped his hands more firmly in place around her hips, as the judder of his pelvis made her slide back and forth, changing the position of her clitoris against his pubis. 

She moaned deeply as the movement on her little bud triggered an intense climax, and she was helplessly quivering with her full weight bearing down on him as she straddled him.

He eased himself back down onto the bed, and she leaned forward to kiss him, allowing her hands to flatten out. 

Joe groaned as her nails came out of his flesh. 

They laid there panting in time with each other.

Her body jumped as her over-sensitive clit was hit again by his pubic bone when he gently shifted his hips into a more comfortable position.

‘Ohhh.’ she breathed.

‘Are you OK?’ he whispered, his hands lightly stroking her soft hips. They were red from the pressure of his hands but weren't bruised.

‘Mmmm, oh yes.’ she smiled, her eyes closed.

They stayed like that, with Joe still buried inside her, both starting to doze off, the effect of their orgasms and full bellies.

They both jumped, waking up as the rain, which had eased, suddenly thundered angrily against the window.

Cam pushed herself up and tried to get off of him, but her legs were stiff from being spread.

Joe helped by rolling over and resettling her alongside him.

Her feet had got tangled in the waistband of his sweatpants, which were around his knees. She pushed them as far down his calves as she could reach with her long legs.

‘Take them off, MacMillan.’ she told him, mimicking a stern school teacher, then adding, 'If I’m naked, so are you.’

He raised his eyebrows at her, but his mouth twitched up into a smile and he scissored and kicked his feet to get them free of their restraints, ‘Yes, Miss Howe.’ and he grinned broadly. 

‘Good boy.’ and she smiled, leaning in to claim his lips.

(Score count: Cam 1 – Joe 1)

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	3. Saturday Afternoon: Chores

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies, dear reader, I'm taking my sweet time, annoyingly Saturday night n Sunday morning parts are already written... I've just got the afternoon to finish...

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 3 (Saturday Morning: Cam 1 - Joe 1)

11.34 a.m. Saturday

The music had long since finished, the only noise now was the deafening drum of the rain beating against the window.

They were lying face to face, both naked within easy kissing distance, under the covers in their own private blanket fort, snuggled together in post-coital bliss.

This was the sweet time, both enjoying showering the other with tender kisses and soft caresses. 

They revelled in finding undiscovered erogenous zones and ticklish spots.

Cam’d previously discovered that touching or kissing the skin of his throat and upper chest, would lead to deep throaty sighs and he’d want to fuck her if she carried on.

She’d loved the way he’d wriggle and try to get away from her if she delicately ran her fingers up and down the sides of his torso, all the while laughing and threatening to get her back.

He’d found that her feet were sensitive and would hold her down and torture her by tickling them, enjoying how she’d try to kick and beg through her laughter for him to stop for fear of peeing herself.

He knew too that if he tenderly stroked across her lower belly, just above her pubic hair, her feet would curl and she’d shiver and simper in delight, eyes closed, and he couldn’t stop himself from kissing her.

The physical side was easy for them.

‘So what do you want to do today, Miss Howe?’ Joe asked looking into her eyes smiling broadly. 

At times like this, with her, he felt younger, closer her age. 

There was an unaccustomed freedom, a lightness that hadn’t been there when he’d really been in his early twenties.

Back then he already had two tailormade blue suits and his first pair of custom made Italian shoes, care of his father.

'Hmmm, OK, I know this is boringly domestic, but can I wash my clothes? … Do you have a dryer?’

'Yes, I do, but that's what you want to do, when you have all this …' he indicated himself and smirking, 'To play with?’

She smiled and retorted, 'Well the washing will take care of itself and then I intend to do a lot of playing with this.’ 

As if to prove her words, she ran her hand purposefully from his throat down his chest and stomach, brushing past his scars and headed lower to lightly tease across his flaccid dick and down to his thighs.

‘Ooohh …’ he sighed, and she withdrew and chuckled.

He drew her in for a kiss, teasingly licking her lips and parting her mouth with his tongue but not following through, she pushed her tongue out trying to encourage him in. 

Every time she came forward to seal it, he moved back slightly.

In her frustration, she clamped her hands around the back of his head and claimed his mouth.

They spent a good couple of minutes exploring each other through their kiss.

‘Hhmmm,' he sighed, breaking off, 'OK, let’s do the domestic stuff then we can continue with this ... If you’re a good girl, I’ll fuck you on the spin cycle, see if you like that.’

‘Ooh, sounds fun.’ smiling at him, 'Hey, I'm always a good girl ... unless I'm being a baaaad girl ...'

He snickered at her indulgently.

They got up, dressed again and headed out to his small laundry room, which was off the kitchen, the small window looked out to the north, so the rain was considerably quieter. There was a washing machine, a dryer and a clothesline inside.

Cam'd decided to wash all of her clothes, which didn’t really amount the much, her sweater, strappy top, cargo pants, underwear and socks. She hadn’t brought a change of clothing as they’d only decided about the weekend while at work on Friday.

Joe made up the load with some underwear, a couple of tee-shirts and towel. He had a stack of cleaning clothes to launder, but he always washed them separately on an extra hot cycle.

She watched him as he moved around, fascinated by domestic Joe. 

He looked at her clothes and took out her red sweater and multi-coloured socks, but she insisted they wouldn’t run. 

He looked at her darkly, frowning as though she’d just suggested the most outrageous thing he’d ever heard. But he relented, reluctantly putting them back in.

She always washed all of her clothes together, never bothering to separate into colours and whites. She'd barely ever had a full load as it was.

She lapsed into silence, watching him like he was some wild animal in a nature study. 

He estimated the right amount of powder for the load size, double checking the instructions on the box and then added the corresponding amount of fabric softener too.

Then he took ages to select the right program, even going so far as looking in the manual about a mixed coloured wash.

He was so different to her, she just guessed and threw everything in. 

It mostly worked.

‘OK, that’ll take about an hour.' he said, happily, finally having pressed the button to set it all in motion. 

Him setting it up had seemed to take an hour, she mused.

Uncharacteristically, she decided not to make a sarcastic remark or even roll her eyes, seeing his pleased smile.

Instead, she asked, ‘How long ‘til the spin cycle?’

‘Um, maybe 50 minutes.’

‘Well, what could we do until then?’ she smiled knowingly.

'Hmmm, I fancy some lunch ...’

Cam's brow furrowed in confusion, 'Uh, ... OK ...' That's not what she'd meant.

Joe took her hand and led her back through to the kitchen, picked her up and placed her on the counter top, pushing himself between her legs while he kissed her. His hands pulled at his sweatshirt, so she was sat bare buttocked on the cold marble surface.

‘Taco …’ he said, smiling devilishly, sliding to his knees and putting her legs over his shoulders.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	4. Saturday Afternoon: Kitchen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: sexually explicit content

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 4

12.12 p.m. Saturday

‘Joe, that’s gross!’ 

But she was soon sighing as he started to use his tongue and fingers on her.

He worked his magic, taking her slowly up. 

He loved going down on her. 

It wasn’t something that previously he’d enjoyed very much with women, but he'd realised things would always be different where Cam was concerned.

He usually veered toward men rather than women, having, he estimated about a 70/30 split. 

He'd only gone with girls initially to fit in with the in-crowd in senior high school, but he quite liked the difference, their softness, in comparison to boys and later men.

Maybe the difference was in his feelings for her, he thought.

He was totally enthralled by the reactions he provoked in her. 

Besides she tasted delicious, different to other women he'd done it to. 

He'd found, much to her delight, that he could spend hours teasing her. He loved when her soft groans turned increasingly frustrated and then she'd demand angrily that he finished her off or even better that he fucked her.

'Aaaahhhh ... oh fuck ... yes ... yes … Joeeehhh ...’ she exclaimed breathily as she climaxed right into his mouth. 

She loved domestic Joe.

(Score count: Cam 2 – Joe 1)

After she came, he carried on licking and stroking her, knowing that she was sensitive. 

He loved how she bucked and pleaded for him to stop, trying and failing to hoist him up. 

Eventually, she was able to push herself off the counter into his face, so he had to release her.

He stood up, ‘Mmmmm, delicious.’ he sighed.

His tented crotch drew her eye, ‘How much longer?’ she asked.

Joe checked his watch, ‘Hmmm, about another 20 or 25 minutes.’

‘OK, my turn,' smiling broadly and she went close to him, putting her hand down his sweats and firmly around his cock, 'I always did like salami ...' 

All the time, she grinned and made eye contact, as she not so gently ‘manhandled’ him, pulling him round.

He sagged at the knees and groaned, as she shoved him back so he was leaning against the counter. He put his hands out onto it to support his weight.

She liked how his cock got harder in response to her rough treatment.

She went down on her knees and yanked his pants down to his feet. 

'Take off your top, I want you naked.' she ordered.

'Well, yes ma'am.' he replied, doing what she said.

She licked her lips exaggeratedly, while eyeing his cock.

Joe's eyes followed her every move and there was sly smile on his face. 

She started slowly licking all around his testicles, her hands were lightly resting on his thighs, so his cock bobbed under its own weight until it touched her nose and her face during her administrations.

She looked up at him, his eyes were slits, but still following her movements and his face was full of desire. 

She loved the effect she had on him.

She maintained eye contact and opened her mouth, starting at the join between his sack and his dick, she allowed the flat of her tongue to slowly go along his shaft, the force of it gently pushing his cock up.

He groaned again when after she completed her lick, she let his dick fall. 

She watched it bounce, then returned her gaze back up to his. His chest was heaving as he inhaled and exhaled deeply, in an effort to control himself.

She went back to the beginning and repeated the action.

As she got to the top again, she felt his hips push forward as he tried to manoeuvre his head into her mouth.

She moved herself back, not letting him disrupt her plans.

She’d found out it was so much fun to tease him. He'd get to the point where she could make him do anything so he could fuck her.

The power play between them was a game that she'd started, and he'd quickly joined in.

‘Do that again and I’ll stop.’ she said, staring up at him, sternly, ‘Understand?’

Cam put both her hands on his hips and pressed firmly.

He let her move him back and gave a small nod.

‘Tell me, MacMillan.’

Joe looked down at her, his eyebrows pulled down.

She wondered if she’d overstepped.

It came out almost as a whisper, but it thrilled her nonetheless, ‘I won’t do that again,' his mouth curled up on one side as he added, 'Miss ...’ 

She smiled wickedly back at him; happy he was playing along. 

Then she put her ‘game face’ back on, to business, she thought.

She held her tongue out so that his tip was resting on it, and she opened her mouth.

He groaned in frustration, his stomach muscles tightening, which made his cock jerk.

She’d been amazed to discover how much it aroused her to make him beg. 

She’d never done half of the things she’d done with him before, but it felt so natural, and she felt so sexy.

She’d only known him since May, less than six months, but she felt like a whole different person.

It was to do with the new found sense of freedom she had to experiment, both personally and professionally. He gave her the confidence and encouraged her to try out new things. 

There was more she wanted to do, to push the technology forward, but there were too many constraints right now.

She felt such liberation that someone, he, had finally given her the recognition she deserved for her talents.

Joe’d treated her and her ideas so differently to how her stuffy male professors had.

She dreamed of a future where they worked on something without having other people to answer to.

They could do so much more than now. She knew they were on the same page about it.

But that was the future, right now, they were on a very different page. 

She raked her fingernails slowly down from his hips down his thighs and his legs quivered and dipped.

She felt a rush of power seeing that she made him weak at the knees, literally.

The muscles in his beautiful arms flexed, taking the strain.

‘Aaahhh ... Cam ...’ his eyes closed and his head went back.

His mouth parted and his lower lip was full and red as if he'd been biting it.

Man, he looked sexy, she thought.

She took away her mouth, and his eyes found hers again, they pleaded for its return.

'Tell me what you want.’ 

His Adam’s apple bobbed and he whimpered.

‘Joe ...’ she was having so much fun doing nothing but torture him.

‘Mmmhhh ... Cam, ... suck it ... or touch it ...pleassse ...’ he begged.

His cock twitched, as if demanding her immediate attention. 

It looked more swollen than before, the veins were more defined and it seemed darker too, she thought she could almost see the blood swirling under the stretched skin. She wondered how much more he could take and if it was painful.

His eyes were shiny slits, his eyebrows tented in the middle making his whole face look like a sad puppy dog. 

She almost gave in.

Then his hips shifted to the side as one of his knees buckled again, making his cock bounce, 'Aaahhh … Cam … please ...’ his voiced was deliciously strained.

She blew on his head, he groaned again.

She opened her mouth and moved nearer; she saw his abs ripple as he drew in a sharp breath in anticipation.

She was about to take him in her mouth, when the washing machine beeped, which signalled the start its spin cycle.

(Score count: Cam 2 – Joe 1)

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	5. Saturday Afternoon: Laundry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: sexually explicit content

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 5

1.07 p.m. Saturday

It was as if the change in program was what he’d been waiting for all along, and he was released from her control.

As quick as a flash, he picked her up, hoisted her legs around his waist and jammed his tongue into her open mouth.

It was lucky his kitchen was quite narrow because he’d forgotten his sweatpants were around his ankles. He stumbled as he went forward with her. Their combined weight meaning that to maintain his balance, he was forced to shift her into one arm, so he could put his other one out onto the opposite wall.

Cam could only wrap her arms around his neck and hold on for dear life as he almost fell. 

Her nails bit into his skin as she struggled stay upright.

She found herself slammed forcefully back against the facing wall and smacked her head in the process. 

She’d be tender and bruised in both places for days afterwards, as she would keep reminding him. 

Taken by surprise, she shrieked right into his mouth as the air was knocked out of her. 

At the same time, on regaining his balance, and Cam being pinned, he rammed himself fully into her, groaning, almost growling, gutturally, finally achieving some release for his throbbing cock.

Cam could only keep her mouth open, in a silent scream, having no breath left. 

Her eyes were wide in shock, whereas his were closed in rapture.

He withdrew and thrust into her violently again, grinding his pelvis into hers. 

His blood was up, literally.

She was reminded of the first time in the bar, before he’d ruined it.

She didn’t think she could stop him even if she'd wanted to. It was so Goddamn hot.

The whole time his mouth was on hers, bruising her lips and pushing her head back brutally into the wall.

He was so strong, and he seemed intent on fucking her right through into the next room.

While she liked it rough, this was perhaps getting a little too much now, as he seemed to be on autopilot.

It was starting to to hurt, more than she'd tolerate.

She tried to say his name, but it wouldn’t come out properly, ‘Thoe ... Thoe …’ as his tongue filled her mouth.

Not that he could hear her over his throaty groans as he plunged himself into her again and again.

Cam began to panic, she couldn't move and he seemed to be everywhere. Usually he was so considerate.

She hit his upper arm repeatedly with one hand and forcefully shoved his shoulder with the other, trying to ‘tap out.’

After several attempts, he came too and shook his head as though clearing it, ‘Uhh … God, Cam ... I’m sorry …’ he trailed off, embarrassed at his brutality.

‘Joe, the spin cycle …?’

‘Aahh, yes, … so you're OK?’

‘Yeah, c’mon.’ she didn’t want to miss this new experience before the machine stopped, so she tapped him again impatiently, trying to get her feet in on the action too as though she was horseback riding.

‘OK, OK.’ and he smiled at her, happy that she’d seemed to have forgiven his misdemeanour.

He lifted one foot and placed it over the leg of his sweatpants and pulled his other foot out in one swift motion. He didn’t bother freeing both, but now at least he could walk safely.

With his cock still buried inside of her, he took her into the laundry room and deposited her onto the juddering machine.

Bending forward, he braced himself against the wall behind with one hand and pulled her lower body into him more with the other, securing her there.

His long legs meant that he only needed to partially bend his knees to stay inside of her.

She clung on to him, her arms locked about his neck as the machine paused and then went up a notch. 

Her legs were spread and hung loosely around his waist, her pussy was wide open to him. His arm tightened around her backside, pressing her into him more, so he was fully embedded in her again.

The vicious vibrations of the spinning machine surged through her and she gasped as it made her shake powerfully into him more and all around his cock.

It was ... sensational. She felt as though her clitoris was vibrating along with the machine.

She found herself panting and clawing at him trying to stay in position, a slave to her desire, as he’d been before. Her whole body moving in time with the machine.

He was groaning again too and started thrusting himself into her.

She didn’t think either of them would out last the machine, by the sounds they were making.

She was turned on even more at the sight of his bulging muscles, as he tried to keep them both in place despite the machine doing its best to dislodge them.

She had the overwhelming urge to touch them to test their solidness.

She moved one hand to his tense pec and drove her nails into it, while at the same time biting into the hard-line that had appeared at his neck as he strained in effort.

Joe yelled and slammed into her harder than before.

They were both practically screaming, and even then, their voices were drowned out by the noise of the spinning.

Joe came first, perhaps being teased so mercilessly earlier, but she wasn’t far behind him. 

The machine continued its cycle regardless of the two humans bucking on top of it, and they both groaned due to the effects of a cascade of aftershocks.

Score count: Cam 3 – Joe 2

They were panting and laughing as it finally slowed down.

‘Oh man, that was fun!’ she exclaimed, ‘And you can be so loud too! We’re definitely doing it on here again.’

‘Glad you liked it.’ he said smiling broadly.

‘So how many times have you done it?’

‘That actually was a first for me too.’

‘Oh, wow, so we were both washing machine virgins?’ she laughed, finding it hysterical.

He chuckled, before leaning in to kiss her.

‘Hmmm.’ he sighed contentedly as he leaned back to look at her smiling face.

She saw her teeth marks at his neck and then looked at the scratches on his chest, added to marks from the morning, 'Jesus, sorry, I got quite carried away.’

He looked down and said, ‘It’s OK, I quite like them, they're love scars ... shows we had a good time ... ’ he smiled and then touched the bite on his neck, ‘Just not above the collar line, please. We do have work on Monday.’ he reminded unnecessarily.

‘Love scars? ... OK, Joe.’ she sounded dubious at his name for them.

‘Are you hungry?’ he asked changing the subject.

‘A little, I might have some chips or a bowl of Cheerios.’

‘So healthy,' he said in a tone that meant the opposite, 'How about a cheese and ham sandwich, with some lettuce and tomato?’

‘Ugh, no lettuce, thank you.’

‘You don’t like lettuce?’ he was incredulous.

‘No, what’s the point of it? It tastes of nothing and it makes the bread go soggy.’

‘No, it doesn’t, it adds a crunch.’ he frowned as he contradicted her.

Jesus, here we go, and she gritted her teeth, he was seriously going to make a big issue about lettuce?

The washing machine beeped and interrupted them, there was a sound of a clunk as the automatic door unlocked.

Cam breathed a sigh of relief, saved by the bell, she thought drolly, ‘What good timing, I’ll get the washing out and hang it up, if you make the sandwiches. Deal?’

‘Deal, and I’ll show you that lettuce doesn’t make the sandwich go soggy.’

‘Oh my God, leave it alone, it does, Joe!’

‘No, it doesn’t, not the way I make them.’ and he kissed her before she could answer, picking her up and standing her on the floor, 'You'll see.'

He turned and started to go out to the kitchen, she smacked his bare backside and stood on the trailing leg of his sweatpants, forcing him to yank his foot out of them as he walked.

‘You’ve got to make lunch naked, that’s your penance for throwing me against the wall earlier.’

He turned and gave her a look, a mix between shame and desire, as he disappeared through the door, leaving his sweatpants under her foot.

She turned and snickered to herself, she wondered what else she could punish him for, lettuce turning up in her sandwich would definitely be one thing.

(Score count: Cam 3 – Joe 2)

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	6. Saturday Afternoon: Lunch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's trouble brewing in paradise
> 
> Warning: angst and more angst

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 6

1.28 p.m. Saturday

Cam went to open the washing machine door, she wanted to get this over with so she could go and supervise him making lunch in the kitchen. 

She was enjoying being his ‘boss’, smiling to herself as she thought of him with no clothes on. 

Even now, she was looking forward to dropping little hints about it in meetings in front of Bos and Gordon and watching him squirm.

The weekend was going pretty well so far, there’d only been a few minor speed bumps and he seemed to be making a real effort to be less of a dick. 

She wondered how many more orgasms she’d have between now and when they got back into work on Monday. 

She hadn’t even had lunch yet and she’d already had three. 

Three! 

That was a new record.

The pain of hitting the wall and the sex having previously triggered a release of endorphins that were now whizzing around her system, accounting for her happy mood.

She was humming softly to herself, and fiddled with the latch of the washing machine, which seemed to be stuck.

Even the slight annoyance of yet another appliance in his place attempting to thwart her, couldn't bring her down.

After about five seconds of jostling, the handle gave in, and she eyed the machine meaningfully.

She reached in and started pulling out the washing. It was still damp and the coldness of the day meant it would probably take the rest of the weekend to dry.

Looking at the clothes properly, she abruptly stopped her mindless tune.

The whites didn’t seem as white as they had when they went in. 

Her heart leapt into her mouth.

She held her top up to the window to see more clearly.

Fuck!

It was a subtle shade of pink. It wasn’t bright, but it certainly wasn’t white any more.

Panic shot through her. 

No, no, no, no!

She didn’t care about her top or her underwear, but Joe would definitely care about his.

She pulled everything out and confirmed her worst fears; everything that’d previously been white; his underwear, his white tee-shirt and his towel, were all now a light pastel pink, mottled with some darker pink patches too, the tell-tale sign of a color run incident.

Fuck.

She groaned inwardly.

At least his gray tee seemed OK, but that was a small consolation.

Her fucking sweater!

She didn’t understand, she’d washed it before, and it’d never run. 

She grabbed it to inspect it. 

No, it was the same color as before, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Then she spotted the culprits, her new socks, the previously magenta heel and toe were now decidedly lighter than before, and the main part, which had been light yellow, was also streaked with pink.

Fuck.

She knew Joe would go ballistic. 

She’d never hear the end of it either, she’d made him put them in.

She was such an asshole for not even thinking about them before.

She could hear him in the kitchen, the various noises telling her he was occupied making their lunch.

She figured she had about five minutes, before he finished.

What could she do in that time? 

She looked around and her eyes settled on the dryer.

While it wasn’t a solve, a delay would give her time to think.

She put everything into it and made herself focus on the dials, at least they were helpfully labelled, unlike his shower had been. 

She selected a medium heat program for 20 minutes and pushed the on switch.

She exhaled and went into the kitchen, making sure she’d carefully arranged her face to mask her angst.

She stopped at the door in shock, confronted with a naked Joe, dutifully cutting up a tomato. 

In her panic, she’d completely forgotten about their 'game.’

It would have been funny if she hadn’t just dyed his clothes pink. 

He looked up and smirked at her, which dropped instantly as he registered her face, ‘Everything OK?’

‘Uh, yeah! I just forgotten you were naked, that’s all!’ It was the truth.

He gave her a strange look as she’d been the one to insist on it less than ten minutes ago.

But looking at her face, he decided not to say anything.

‘How long have you put the dryer on for? Things will shrink if it’s too hot, you know.’ Then he frowned, ‘You didn’t put my things in there did you?’ 

She forced her panic down, 'I know they can shrink, Joe, I’m not a child,' she tried to keep her voice even, 'But as it’s wet and cold today, they’ll take ages to dry. So I’ve just put them on a medium heat for 20 minutes to take the edge off. I can go and take your stuff out; I was just trying to be helpful.’

She looked at his face and trying to ignore the rest of him, and allowed an innocent smile to spread across her lower face.

‘Oh, just 20 minutes? That's fine,' he replied smiling back, 'Thank you.’ he added in a softer voice, as if he knew he was being overbearing.

She cringed inside, fuck, this was going to be bad.

He moved in to kiss her and she stiffened at his contact.

He misinterpreted it, stopped and looked at her, ‘Hey, I'm sorry about before. Are you hurt?’

God, why was he being so nice now? 

‘Yes, but I’ll live,' she mumbled, staring at the marks she’d made on his chest.

As if hypnotised, her hand went up to touch them, 'Do they hurt?’ Mirroring him without realising it.

'They sting a little,’ he admitted, 'But it’s fine, I don’t mind. Really.’ 

As if to show her, he leaned in and kissed her hair putting his arm around her.

She put her head against his chest and closed her eyes, wishing they could just stay like this forever.

‘OK, let me finish the sandwiches.’ he said moving away from her, then, 'Am I allowed to put my pants back on, miss? I'm getting a bit cold too.’ he indicated his dick which was shriveling up and looked sad and pathetic.

‘Sure,' she said, turning round instantly, glad to have something else to do, 'I'll get them.’ 

She grabbed his sweatpants from the floor and glared at the dryer as if her stare alone would change the tumbling pink clothes back to their previous white.

The timer read 18 minutes, and she angrily twisted it up to 25, and turned the heat down a couple of notches. 

At least she'd be able to have lunch before the shit hit the fan, she reasoned.

Back in the kitchen, Joe finished the sandwiches and cut them into quarters. He briefly toyed with cutting the crusts off for her, as his mom used to do for him. 

He decided against it as she'd just told him she wasn’t a child. 

He loaded up the tray and took it out to the living room, thinking the glass table seemed too formal.

Instead, he took it over to the small coffee table, smiling as the idea of an indoor picnic came to him; they could sit cuddled up on the floor together.

He went back to grab a bag of chips and her orange soda as a conciliatory offering, feeling certain that she was still brooding about the wall incident, despite her saying everything to the contrary.

They arrived at the kitchen’s two opposing entrances at the same time and stopped and stared at each other.

Joe smiled, but when she didn't return it, he was convinced that she was still pissed.

At any other time, seeing him naked would have lit her up, now she fought the rising bile brought on by anxiety.

He came toward her, and she offered him his sweats. 

His face creased in concern, 'Cam, what’s wrong?’ he was feeling disconcerted now, ‘Tell me.’ 

He stooped to put them on. He grabbed his long-sleeved tee-shirt from where he’d put it neatly over the top of the door and put it back on too.

‘Uh, ... I’m alright. ... Maybe I’m just a little tired ...?’ she said slowly. Looking at him with wide eyes, going for innocence and wishing he’d let it go for once.

They looked at each other in an uncomfortable silence for an excruciating long minute.

Joe was trying to ascertain if she was trying to cover up being hurt by his earlier action and not wanting to spoil the mood. 

Whereas, Cam was doing her best to keep her face open and not show her concern about the ticking time-bomb in his laundry.

‘Really? That’s all?’ he hoped that she was telling him the truth.

She nodded.

Silence again.

He exhaled, 'OK, so if lunch doesn’t perk you up, you can go back to bed ... I can join you, give you a back rub or something ... just to help you relax ... of course …’ he treated her to one of his usually effective seductive smiles.

He tried to be blasé at her non-committal 'Mmm, yeah ...’ and a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

But it unnerved him, he couldn’t figure out what he’d done to upset her. 

He’d thought things had been going well.

‘Do you want some soda?’ he tried asked taking the bottle of the bright orange liquid out of the fridge, trying to appease her now.

'Thanks.’ almost in monotone.

There was another awkward silence.

She must be tired, he thought, she usually loved drinking the stuff. Maybe she had low blood sugar. 

'Cam, go sit down, I’ll bring this in.’ he said kindly.

She did as she was told for once.

Her mind was too preoccupied with how to explain the washing. 

Should she just tell him and get it over and done with?

She didn’t want to fight, she wanted to be wrapped up in his arms. 

But she didn’t think he would forgive her mistake. 

Jesus, it wasn’t as if she’d done it on purpose.

She looked out the living room window, the rain was still lashing the city, and she’d just washed all of her clothes.

Fantastic.

She wouldn’t even be able to leave and escape his wrath as she usually did.

She saw the tray on the coffee table and folded herself up into one of two his armchairs, hugging her knees into herself, trying to decide what to do.

She could just about hear the drone of the damned dryer.

How much longer did she have? 15 or 20 minutes?

God, it wasn’t a death sentence, just … what, five pairs of underpants, one tee-shirt and a lousy towel? 

She'd simply buy them again for him.

But that wouldn't be the point. 

He was so Goddamn tenacious. 

He’d gone on and on about her using his toothbrush and the importance of oral hygiene like he was one of her dickhead college lecturers and she needed to know the stuff for some pointless test. 

Even though she’d only used it that one time and had promised to never do it again.

But she still had to endure his barbed comments for weeks.

He could be such an asshole.

She felt like crying, which was unlike her.

She figured it was because she was already anticipating the argument, and more importantly, the end to their fun weekend.

She looked up as he came in with two glasses of soda and chips.

He saw her in the armchair, and his heart sank, he’d wanted to sit next to her, that wasn’t going to be possible now.

But he smiled, he wouldn’t show her that it bothered him. 

He sat himself on the floor between her chair and the table. 

Maybe she’d decide come down and join him and they could snuggle, he thought.

Oh God, why did he have to look so happy?

She wanted to tell him, but she didn’t have the heart to spoil his mood.

He passed her a sandwich, waiting for the comment about it having lettuce in it.

He was ready to tell her that the bread wouldn’t go soggy because he’d buttered it well and the fat layer acted as a barrier to the filling. 

But the comment never came, she didn’t even seem to notice there was lettuce in it.

‘Thank you.’ was the only thing she mumbled, accepting the plate. 

He watched her curiously as she took a bite and chewed mechanically. 

She seemed preoccupied, as though there was something on her mind. She seemed more sullen than tired. 

He wondered if he should ask again or would that piss her off?

She felt like she was eating cardboard, the sandwich was completely tasteless. 

Her throat constricted making it hard to swallow, the crusts were the worst and she started to pick them off, as was her habit.

She pointedly ignored him, hoping he’d stop looking at her and turned sideways in the chair, at least she couldn't see his face now.

Joe turned back to the table, getting the message, and leaned his back against her chair.

He passed back a glass to her and she took it, wordlessly.

She was grateful for the drink; she’d just been going to take it to help her swallow the too dry mush in her mouth.

He picked his up and smelled it suspiciously, he’d never had it before, the almost luminous color put him off. 

He took a sip and grimaced, thankful that she couldn’t see his face. 

It tasted too sugary and … synthetic.

Disgusting.

His initial feeling about it’d been correct, he had no idea why she liked it so much.

But he drank it, wanting to show some solidarity with her.

They lapsed into silence, Joe started eating his sandwiches, and like her, found them equally unsatisfying. Although, he noted with a tiny twinge of satisfaction that the bread wasn't soggy.

He was still perplexed about why her mood had changed. 

It wasn’t like her not to ball him out when he’d done something wrong, so maybe she really was just tired or thinking about something else. 

It bugged the hell out of him. 

He thought about the great sex they’d already had; he’d been hoping for more of the same.

He wasn’t sure how to reach her now, his usual smoothness, while it worked on others, never seemed to have the same effect on her.

He opened the chips and offered them up to her, he heard the rustle as she took a handful and then dropped them on her plate.

He took some too.

He heard her crunch and did the same, unconsciously mirroring her, as though trying to gain her favour now. 

He much preferred the saltiness to the overly sweet drink. 

The mix of the two in his mouth triggered an automatic response as it was like her natural flavour. He shifted his position slightly as he started to harden.

Angrily, he pushed away all thoughts of sex as it seemed unlikely now.

Cam silently exhaled, she managed to force down two of the sandwich quarters, minus their crusts.

The chips seemed hard and sharp, cutting the roof of her mouth, and then getting stuck in between the gaps in her teeth after she'd crunched them up. 

Jesus Christ, was everything now against her because of one small error in judgement?

With the disquiet in her stomach it felt like she’d be seeing everything again soon anyway.

There was a break in the rain and the apartment fell quiet. There was only the sound of Joe’s munching and the dryer seemed to boom louder, mocking her.

Cam wished she could just disappear.

Deciding to try again, he asked, ‘How are you feeling?’ turning his head, but only being able to see the plate with its pulled off crusts and two remaining quarters on. 

‘Hmm, better.’ she lied.

‘Do you want some more chips or soda?’

Goddamn him being so sweet. 

She wanted to shout at him, already gearing herself up for the fight that she knew was coming.

Before she could answer, the traitorous dryer beeped and the apartment fell silent.

Joe launched into action, pleased that he could finally do something other than share an uncomfortable meal with her, ‘I’ll get it.’ and he kissed the top of her head before heading back out to the laundry.

Cam tensed, monster butterflies started flapping in her stomach and her throat constricted, preventing her from speaking.

Oh dear God.

She could hear her heart-beat thudding in her ears.

She strained to listen, following his actions as best she could, there was the door opening, then ... it went deadly quiet.

Wait for it ...

She heard his voice, steely and cold, ‘Cameron …?’

(Score count: Cam 3 – Joe 2)

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	7. Saturday Afternoon: No Man’s Land: Joe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a storm inside ... goes some way to explain why they both fight so hard - Joe's POV

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 7

1.56 p.m. Saturday

Cam got up and headed back to the laundry room to meet her fate.

His tone had instantly ignited her anger. A reflex perhaps born out of years of fighting with her mother.

A simple, but effective defence mechanism against being hurt.

Never show weakness, fight fire with fire, go on the offence, her dad had told her six-year-old self, when she’d come home in tears because of Kerry Davis and her pack of cronies had decided that she couldn’t play in the sandpit when they’d wanted to.

She’d taken his advice to heart.

Joe was standing in the doorway of the laundry, waiting for her, his scowl deepening as she appeared.

One of his hands was on his hip and in the other he held some pink clothes, which he was holding out, as proof of her misdemeanor.

Well that’s unnecessary, asshole, she thought.

‘Did you neglect to tell me something, Cameron?’ almost spitting out her name, and waving the offending items in her direction.

His words and his condescending tone made her feel like she was that bullied little girl again.

She stopped at the kitchen door, not trusting herself to go near him.

She was already seeing red.

‘Yes, Joe, I neglected to tell you that your whites and my whites are now pink. Of course, it was something I absolutely did on purpose.’ she said icily.

‘Why couldn’t you just tell me for God’s sake?’ he shot back at her, her words and attitude, pissed him off even more, ‘What? So it goes so much better when I find out like this?’

His brows were furrowed into a hard line and his jaw was tight.

Her face mirrored his. There was no way she was going to let him ‘win.’

‘Tell you? Tell you? What and then just you go off the deep end at me.’ she retorted hotly.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ pulling his eyebrows down even further.

She threw her hands up in exasperation, ‘Oh, pretty much every time I come over there’s a little comment about if I have a toothbrush or not. Or how to wash up or … or I don’t know, where I can put like, literally anything in your Goddamn show house of an apartment.’

She was getting angrier the more she spoke.

He was so-fucking-irritating.

Joe, on the other hand, had just been mad about the washing, and that she hadn’t told him, he didn’t know that she was harboring so anger about so much other stuff.

He’d been expecting an apology, not an attack.

He put the ruined clothes down on the kitchen top and looked at them.

They were the issue, not everything else. He felt that was getting lost.

‘YOU were the one who insisted on washing everything together …’ he turned and pointed at her, trying to maintain the upper hand.

He was basically saying 'I told you so,' Cam took it badly and shouted louder, ‘Jesus Christ! I made a mistake, OK? My stuff’s pink too! I’ll buy you replacements. Just let it go for once!’

He didn’t know what to say, she was admitting she was wrong, but she was at Defcon 3.

He exhaled and tried again, ‘That’s not the point, Cameron, and you know it.’ he said crossly. Why couldn’t she ever take the easy route? How hard was it to say ‘sorry’?

He would say it, wouldn’t he?

‘What IS the point, Joe? That you’re an obsessive control freak?’ Man, he got her so riled up.

He stared at her open mouthed, ‘What the hell?’ taking a step forward, rounding in on her.

Now she was attacking him personally.

He wouldn’t let that go, the spectres of too many lost battles with assholes from his childhood and swallowed down ones with his father, reared their heads, screamed for vengeance.

Here we go, she thought, and determined to beat him, she took it up a notch.

‘You know you are. That’s why you live alone, and you always will.’

She knew she shouldn’t have added the last cutting remark, but her mouth was on autopilot and it was out before she could stop it.

Fuck.

The dark expression on his face told her she’d gone over a line, but she wouldn’t apologise.

Never apologise, never show weakness.

She believed he'd never let her live it down.

God, why couldn’t she just say sorry for the washing and leave it? Why did she always have to make things worse?

Damn her temper, it always got her into trouble. Well, that and her pride.

Joe stopped and stared at her; a vein at his temple pulsed angrily, and he felt the beginnings of a headache.

He moved back again and exhaled, sensing his earlier advancement had threatened her, making her even spikier.

He’d try reason one more time, he didn’t want to say something he might regret, as he thought she just had. He reminded himself how young she was.

‘OK, listen, I thought you were pissed off at me about, … you know, earlier, but you were worried about this, weren’t you?’ he tried to make his voice soft, to see if that'd work, ‘Cameron, why couldn’t you just tell me?’

But she wouldn't show her vulnerability to him, she was sure he’d be ruthless.

Every time she'd let down her guard to someone before, wham, they ripped her to shreds.

‘Because you make me feel like a fucking child, that’s why! You’ve always got to be right. It’s so damn annoying!’ When she was sure she was right all the time.

She was shouting at him and moved forward, seeing his retreat as a sign of weakness.

She sensed victory, in their strange volatile chess match.

So, she didn’t want reason? Well fuck it then, Joe’d had enough now too.

‘Well stop acting like one!’ he re-advanced angrily into the kitchen and stopped within arms reach of her, ‘Jesus, I’m NOT unreasonable, just don’t lie to me!’

‘I-DID-NOT-LIE-TO-YOU, ASSHOLE!’ rage had her in its clutches now, and she had to stop herself from just slapping his big stupid face, ‘I JUST didn’t tell you! AAAaaggghhhyy!!!’ She half-turned and screamed in her frustration.

Before he could say anything else, she retreated, storming back through the living room and headed for his bathroom. The only lockable room in the place.

In her mind, she'd won, albeit through default.

On the way, she grabbed her bag from his dresser, at least she could drown out his silky persuasive words with her Walkman.

He would not convince her she was wrong.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joe followed her as far as the kitchen door and winced as he heard the bathroom door slam, staring after her.

He was at least relieved she hadn’t been so incensed that she'd just left the apartment, forgetting that she was wearing literally nothing but his sweatshirt.

He exhaled and absent-mindedly rubbed his temples with his fingers, before running them through his hair.

Fuck.

It’d been lucky that she’d washed all of her clothes so she couldn’t leave.

They’d have to resolve it at some stage.

He'd leave her for now, nothing good would come of trying to reason with her like this.

Maybe she’d cool off some and come out of her own accord, she’d be bound to get hungry later.

He sighed as he picked up the washing on the counter and took it through to the laundry to hang up.

He thought it was a good job he had all of his shirts sent out.

He 'tsked' to himself as he went. But after completing the task, he gave a short laugh as he surveyed the mass of pink now draped across the small room.

It wasn’t as if anyone, except her would see his underwear now and he had more tee-shirts, and towels ... so, what did it really matter?

He looked out the window and watched some wind-battered trees bending violently as the rain swirled around them.

He felt the unfamiliar pang of regret.

But why couldn’t she just have told him? Plainly that was what had been bothering her during lunch.

Was he that much of an ogre?

She seemed to think so. She had a point that he was difficult to live with.

He knew he was far too particular about cleaning and where things went, he’d lived on his own for such a long time now.

It was a habit, it'd become ingrained. It actually soothed him.

Even as a teenager, he’d mainly had the family house to himself apart from when one of the ever-changing housekeepers was there or his dad was back on some shore leave. Though when he was, they just edged around one another, not knowing how to be with each other, let alone live together.

But to say he never would live with anyone, that was just mean.

Did she have a point or was it a comment solely designed to hurt him?

God, he really was a ‘clean freak’.

He blamed his father for that, who’d been in the navy.

His dad’d insisted he do his chores and kept tabs on him through the housekeepers.

He'd been determined that no son of his would be a spoiled brat. He’d seen too many new recruits outraged at the menial tasks they’d had to do.

He'd been teaching Joe a life lesson and Joe had taken it too much to heart.

He reasoned that he could impress his surly father with how well he did his chores, and it would bridge the gap that'd always been there.

But no praise was ever given, and their relationship was more like officer and recruit, than father and son.

He ended up doing more and more, desperately seeking the praise that would never come. More than was asked, until, as he got older, there hadn't been a need for a housekeeper and he really was on his own.

Joe watched a car turn out of the parking lot and idly wondered where anyone would be going on a day like today.

He thought of Cam in the bathroom.

He hadn’t wanted to fight with her.

There’d been a few near misses already today, but this was the first relationship he’d been in in a long time.

He was still adjusting to it.

Usually, he took what he wanted, he wasn't used to giving or compromising.

Before her, for about a year, he'd had a string of one-night stands.

So many one-night stands.

His anger and self-destructiveness after finding out about his mother and his fathers' lies made him even less capable of connecting with anyone than before, which had been tenuous at best.

But he wanted, no he needed company, and a way to vent his anger, and he took it in the only way he knew how; sex.

He lost himself in it, it was the only time he could stop the pain.

Rarely, he repeated the act with the same person.

His conquests would follow a similar pattern; they’d meet in some dingy bar and then fuck, in a toilet cubicle, a back alley or if they were lucky, in his car, he didn't really care.

Alternatively, he’d go to theirs, when he could leave when he wanted or as a last resort, he’d take them to wherever he was staying, sending them on their way as soon as he was able.

It never filled the void he had inside, until he started working toward his plan, and the thing.

That was the only thing that'd changed him, it revitalised him and drove him.

He didn't know why it meant so much to him. Perhaps it was a way to stop thinking about his fucked up childhood.

Years later, he came to believe that it'd been Fate's plan so he could meet her and Gordon.

Cam was the first person ever to consistently invade his space and stay over.

He'd even cooked for her. He didn't know who was he around her, or why he’d let it continue after she’d finished the BIOS.

Maybe he’d just got used to her being around.

He'd found he liked it, despite that fact that she turned his world upside down. She pushed him in so many ways.

Maybe it really was … love?

He tried the word again, it had an unfamiliar, iron-like taste, the same as blood.

Love had always cut him so deeply before, and he’d purposefully avoided it.

His father was supposed to love him, but he'd been distant and cold. He also had cut him deeper than anyone else ever had.

Then his mom, Joe didn't know if she'd simply stopped loving him after the accident. He couldn't understand why she hadn't come back or tried to make contact with him at least once in the 23 years. Had she just forgotten about him? It was a puzzle he'd never solve and it tormented him.

Love just messed him up.

Would it be any different with her?

She was so young and somehow, she’d brought out his softer side.

He wanted to protect her.

Maybe that was how Simon’d felt about him.

Joe had tolerated it for a short time, no, he'd reveled in it, until he'd sabotaged it. Probably, he reasoned for self-protection, pre-empting the inevitable, when Simon would see through him and end it anyway.

Maybe she’d do the same, to protect herself and rip his heart out when she went.

The thought of not being with her, unbalanced him and he clung to her like a life buoy, fearing a return to the half-life he'd had before.

She’d pushed him to open up, first it was about his scars, soon after she pushed him about other things too.

It'd been a couple of months before she’d asked him how he’d got them, he didn’t know why it’d taken so long.

Usually it was the first thing his lovers wanted to know, if they saw them.

Confusingly, it'd both irked and pleased him.

It was like the disfigurements were normal and didn’t make him into a freak show.

Then she hadn’t bought his well-used stories like so many others had.

Surprised that he’d been caught out, he went on the offence, to hide his naked terror of coming out from his protective wall and being ridiculed and hurt again.

It had stung more that he cared to admit when she’d told him that ‘to lead people, you have to show them who you really are’ and implied that he was just an empty expensive suit.

He hadn’t told anyone his tragic tale in a long time, it was too painful and too personal.

But he’d sensed from the beginning that she masked her own vulnerability in a similar way.

They were more alike than either cared to admit.

Then one night, unbidden, she’d told him that her father had been killed in Vietnam when she was just a kid, and her mother had quickly tried to replace him with a succession of loser boyfriends. Then about the difficult mother-daughter relationship that had meant she'd left home at 17.

He’d found it both strange and touching that she wanted to share such intimate information with him, opening up to him in a way he was yet incapable of doing.

He could see tears forming in her eyes as she spoke.

But he didn’t do or say anything.

He was a coward.

He’d been scared to give her the comfort she sought in case her sadness overwhelmed him and broke through his carefully built defences.

Parents were such a difficult subject for him.

She’d mistaken his lack of reaction as a lack of empathy, and it'd pissed her off.

She accused him of being 'soulless' and had stormed out.

He just let her go, he hadn’t tried to stop her.

But it made him think, he’d had no compulsion to laugh or ridicule her, so, would she be as equally generous with him?

He'd felt guilty and missed her.

Both emotions pulled him out of his comfort zone.

Maybe it was just coincidence that she’d tried to get him to open up about his scars a couple of nights before he went to Gordon’s for dinner, which turned out to be the night Hurricane Alicia made landfall.

Donna was trying hard not to show how worried she was about Gordon’s whereabouts; and the girls, well they were just curious about one of their parents’ grown up friends.

It was annoying at first and then, amazingly, he actually enjoyed how much they wanted to be around him, to include him.

Besides, he’d reasoned, if playing with some stupid kids would mean an easier night and he might actually win over Gordon’s astute wife, he’d do it.

How could he distract them?

He hadn’t been around any kids as an adult, but he’d been a kid, a lifetime ago.

He quickly scanned through his memories as the girls bounced around him on the couch … what did he think was fun back then, before his world changed with the fall?

Of course, a blanket fort – perfect.

Strangely, he found he’d actually enjoyed the way they’d just accepted him and took him at his word about the storm and the 'zapper' flash lights.

Then another revelation, they'd named them, made them their friends.

Just like her toy … it got him thinking.

He could see the gratitude on Donna’s face and she grudgingly thawed and accepted him being there.

Although, he knew she’d never fully trust him after calling him out about him sabotaging Cam's work on the OS all for publicity.

But tonight at least, they had a truce.

When she shared her own childhood memories, he shared one of his too … well just enough of one.

He’d been up on that damn roof for days anyway since Cam’s earlier pushing.

He knew that to Donna, he sounded normal, he was good at that, hiding his freak side to fit in and be accepted.

It’d been a revelation though, how they were all laughing, including her, as they dried him off after he’d ‘fought’ the storm.

That hadn’t been an act, it was real, genuine, authentic … and he’d felt some crazy release rolling on Gordon’s front lawn with the wild energy of the storm whipping all around him.

Back inside, the two girls had clung to him, their eyes shone with admiration … with love?

And he suddenly understood what Cam had been talking about.

It affected him more than he cared to admit.

It was what he wanted, what he’d been unconsciously yearning for years, but terrified of all the same.

For a few precious moments, he had a vision that it could've been his life, his family, if Fate had been kind and dealt him a different hand.

It was completely magical, but the spell was broken the instant Gordon arrived home and the family re-centered itself.

Joe felt incredibly jealous of him at that moment.

It was the first baby steps in his long journey to realising he wanted kids, and a family of his own.

He made his excuses and left, not wanting to be around the loving family any more.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that his life was empty.

He craved a real human connection, and he couldn’t stop thinking about _her_.

He drove to where she lived, where he’d dropped her off a few times but had never actually been in.

Maybe it was the effect of the storm, but he felt raw.

He was in unfamiliar territory.

Even his voice sounded different when he asked her if she had anyone she’d call during the hurricane.

She just looked at him as though he was a mad man, standing there soaked through with grass stains on his $200 shirt.

He changed tact and asked her to show him her new OS.

Work was always much safer ground.

He was overwhelmed. It was better than he could have hoped for.

It was _fantastic_ , _she_ really was a genius.

His brain instantly flipped into business mode, if their machine could deliver this as well as being lighter, then it’d be a triumph … they could charge more for it too … not that it mattered, it wasn’t the important thing … she’d done it … she’d understood his vision and had been able get his ideas out and into the world … she really was the _one_.

Then he took a leap of faith and told her the truth about his scars.

His world didn’t shatter, she was so gentle with him, she showered him with tender love.

It was a real breakthrough.

Little by little, his walls started coming down.

The more honest he was, the more love she gave him, and he was finally able to start loving her back.

He was so happy, she loved the real him, not just the protective shell.

Everything was really good … for a while anyway, until their fighting spirits got the way.

Joe sighed, taking his eyes away from tempest going on outside the window, and contemplated the one currently located in his bathroom.

He padded quietly into his bedroom and knocked on the door.

‘Cameron?’

No answer.

He knocked again and tried a little louder, ‘Cameron, hey? Are you OK?’

Silence.

‘Look, Cam, I’m sorry, it doesn’t matter. You’re right, they’re only clothes and I know it was an accident.’

Still nothing.

He pressed his ear to the door, and tried the handle, was she even in there any more? Had she sneaked out?

‘Cameron?’

He was about to go and check his closet when he heard the familiar tinny sound of her Walkman.

Ahh, he understood now, she’d retreated into her music.

He stared at the door, undecided of what to do.

He went back to the living room and started clearing away their discarded lunch, going to his happy place.

He threw away the remainder of her sandwiches. He noted without satisfaction that the bread still wasn’t soggy.

He washed the plates and glasses up, methodically losing himself in the ritual he’d devised long ago.

He went back to the bathroom and listened again, still the faint sound of music.

He knocked, ‘Cameron?’ waited, ‘Cam?’

Joe walked over to his window; the view of Dallas was obscured by the gray haze of the rain.

He thought about the fights he'd had with his father, nothing Joe had done had been up to his high standards.

He was doing the same to her, not just with the clothes but everything she’d called him on.

The realisation hit him like a bolt out of the blue, he’d been _his father_ with her.

He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against the cold glass.

Oh God.

It wasn’t as if she’d had a father or even a mother to have helped her, she’d brought herself up, so what did he expect?

He keenly felt the difference in their ages.

He didn’t want to fight with her any more.

He wanted to hold her, to be there for her, protect her.

It hit him then, he wanted to be family for her.

Not family in the sense of his father or her mother, but family like his mother had been, before she was lost to him, how her father had been, and how Donna and Gordon were to their daughters.

It was never too late to change, people said.

He _could_ change, he _would_ unlearn his bad ways.

They could teach each other. Couldn’t they?

He could do whatever he wanted, he was Joe MacMillian, change was his speciality.

He would always forgive her, he’d surprise himself with his capacity to be open and selfless with her. It was something that he got better at as the years passed.

Previously, he’d always put himself, and his own protection first.

He would finally reverse decades of selfishness and it’d start him on the long road to real, permanent change.

He’d always come back to their shared lack of family when they fought, whether they were together or apart.

Although, it'd take him a while to forgive her and remind himself of it after she had wounded him more deeply than he deserved.

Her wrath always made her overact and it'd be the same in a few months after they broke up, and when she'd use his love for her to wreak vengeance on Westgroup, taking out his career prospects and marriage at the same time.

But that was the future.

In the present, Joe went and got some paper and started writing.

(Score count: Cam 3 – Joe 2)

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	8. Saturday Afternoon: No Man’s Land: Cam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a storm inside ... goes some way to explain why they both fight so hard - Cam's POV
> 
> #Lockdown in a lockdown

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 8

2.18 p.m. Saturday

Cam sat on the toilet in his bathroom cursing that she hadn’t had the presence of mind to at least grab something of her lunch on her way through the living room.

Not even the bag of chips or a glass of orange soda.

Asshole.

It wasn’t as if she was hungry now, but a little basic planning would’ve made her self-imposed confinement more comfortable.

Although, the dramatic effect of storming off just wouldn’t have been the same, she supposed.

The first thing she did was to put on her Walkman, thinking he’d follow her.

She searched her bag, and then roughly upended it, tipping everything onto the gleaming white tiles.

Goddamn it.

She’d put the rest of her tapes by his stereo.

 _Fucking_ Joe.

She blamed him for now being stuck with just the one tape that'd been playing for the last day in the small machine, her lifeline.

It was The Slit’s excellent debut album ‘Cut,’ which she loved, but it was pretty short as both sides totalled just over 30 minutes.

She knew she’d be sick of it if she heard it too many times.

She pushed her palms into her eyes and exhaled forcefully.

She wanted to smash something.

But she knew that would only make things worse.

At least she was able to play the music as loud as she wanted, so loud that it blocked everything else out.

Blocked out _him._

Blocked out her whirling thoughts to help her to calm down some.

She closed her eyes and rocked herself in time with the music.

The side she’d been listening came to an end and she heard him knock and say her name.

She tensed up.

She was still too mad at him, so she quickly turned the tape over and pressed play, drowning out whatever he was saying.

It took her a whole song before she risked checking he’d gone.

Fucking hell, the music was really _loud_.

She was probably going to get tinnitus or go deaf because of him.

Fucking Joe.

The fact that she was stuck wearing his sweatshirt and sat in his way-too-clean bathroom, only added to her wrath.

Everywhere she looked reminded her of him.

She decided to sit on the floor by the door, but the tiles were cold and her legs were bare.

She grabbed his large bath towel, and laid it on the floor, sitting on it and folding the other half over her legs.

God, how did it come to this?

All because of her Goddamn _socks_.

She didn’t know why everything always had to get so out of hand.

She replayed the fight again, she seriously doubted it would’ve gone any differently even if she’d have told him earlier.

Rather, she figured it would've been worse.

Joe would’ve started his bullshit as soon as he knew.

He was an asshole and she hated him.

Instantly, a small voice inside contradicted herself.

She focused her anger on it.

She was not wrong.

She definitely wasn’t.

He was an _asshole_.

So are _you_ the voice answered back.

It was her familiar enemy, the one that would argue with her whenever she’d ripped her mom a new one, or any of her loser boyfriends who were stupid enough to get in the middle of their fights.

Cam’s strategy was always to go for the jugular, take away the wind in the other persons' sails.

Both ending and winning the fight quickly and definitively.

It was another thing her dad had advised her, she was a girl, most likely her opponent would be bigger and stronger.

So he told his daughter to always fight dirty, get the fight won by whatever means possible.

He’d probably meant more physical attacks and certainly hadn’t meant her to use the tactic against her mother.

Or pretty much everyone else.

She didn’t know what her plan was now, stuck in his bathroom as she was.

She hadn’t thought that far ahead.

Her usually tactic was to just leave.

Then they’d both have a chance to cool off.

They’d usually ignore whatever had happened, instead there’d be some work crisis or something that would mean they’d ignite the spark in each other.

Then they’d fall back into step again.

They rarely apologised and never raked over the cause of their fight.

She recalled the time when she’d met his father, before she knew what he’d done to Joe.

She and Joe had fought about him hiring a new office manager and a whole bunch of useless programmers.

When challenged, he’d called her unprofessional and for her not to expect special treatment because of what was going on between them.

She saw it differently, that he’d overlooked her on purpose because she was female and that he didn’t have any respect for her because they were fucking.

Anyway, the guy he’d hired was an _asshole_ , completely power hungry and doing a bad job.

He was assigning work in the most inefficient way, anyone with half a brain could do it better.

She could do it better.

She couldn’t understand why Joe didn’t see it.

She’d taken Joe’s keys and gone to his place to remove all her stuff. That would make him think about what he was doing at work and otherwise with her.

That was when she’d met his father.

It’d been strange, while she was pissed at Joe, she found herself feeling oddly protective towards him as she spoke to his dad.

She felt that there’d been something ‘off’ about him from the start.

She played her cards close to her chest, the only time he’d really got to her was when he spoke about her father.

She’d gone and sat in Joe’s bathroom, ironically where she was now, and the penny had dropped, he was _playing_ her, the same way Joe had.

She’d recognised the same ruthlessness and ability to say whatever to get what he wanted.

Joe was a chip off the old block.

Well, like father, like son, she would play him too.

But there was something obviously going on between Joe and his father, a different kind of power play than what she was playing with him.

She wanted nothing to do with it.

The next day, after she’d proved her worth to him again and solved the manager problem, he found out she’d met his father.

The most surprising thing had been Joe’s reaction.

Once he knew she’d spoken to his dad, his voice changed and she thought he was going to ask her more, but he went quiet. Words for once failing him.

Later, unexpectedly, he turned up at the KYCD Car Smash and Barbecue and paid big bucks to smash up a Japanese car.

She’d been halfway down her second beer, celebrating her earlier victory and landing the software manager position.

She hadn't expected Joe to go, as he'd been so dismissive of it before.

His raw power had attracted a lot of attention, but the effect it had on Cam was just electrifying, watching him stand on the hood and unleash all of his anger.

Afterwards, they'd danced around each other with passionste stolen looks, trying to be surreptitious around their work colleagues.

As usual, she’d led the way.

Joe’d appeared next to her as she was getting a hot dog.

As she turned toward him, she’d lowered her free hand to momentary but firmly cup his cock. She’d relished how he hastily tried to rearrange his face to order his dog without giving anything away.

They’d quickly organised a leaving strategy and had only gone a few blocks before succumbing to their desire.

Cam’s drunken state had emboldened her, so she’d had his semi hard-on out before he’d even turned out of the car park.

It’d taken all of his concentration not to crash.

That was the first time they fucked in his car. It’d been brief, but oh so hot and dirty, fuelled by their swallowed-down anger, the illiciteness, and in Cam's case, several beers.

Afterwards, they went back to his and carried on, their strong need to reconnect heightening their intensity and passion.

The make-up sex always seemed to be like that.

Cam, sat on his tiled floor, and wondered if it would be the same this time.

Impatient as ever, she wanted this Mexican stand-off over, to get on with the reconciliation.

She tried to push away the regret she felt about telling him he’d always live alone.

The implication being that he was too damaged, too broken, too much of a freak for anyone to love him.

She knew how that’d make him feel, she’d feel the same.

But for him it was also bound up with his parents, and the fucked-up thing his father had done.

After he’d told her, she’d tried to imagine what it must be like for him.

The people that were supposed to love you hurting the most, it was no wonder he had trust issues.

She realised she’d just done the same thing to him, and it wasn’t as though either of them gave their love easily.

Fuck.

Why did she always have to go for one upmanship?

She put her head back against the wall, banging the firming bruise there from before. She squeezed her eyes shut, cupping her temples in her palms.

She didn’t know how to reach him again, how to make it right.

Her pride made it so difficult to admit she was wrong. It would take the perspective of living in a different country and being a bit older to soften her.

Exhaling, she got up to pee.

She hoped he wouldn’t need to go.

She doubted he’d forgive her if he had to piss or worse in his kitchen sink.

The image of him taking a dump in his pristine kitchen sink made her laugh sharply.

Geez, she had a sick mind sometimes.

She turned the tape over again.

She was parched and contemplated drinking some water, but she never fully trusted it in the bathroom.

Her mind would always go back to a time at elementary school when someone had reported feathers coming out of a bathroom tap. Then later that day, the caretaker’d pulled a dead pigeon out of the water tank.

A freak occurrence, but she figured better safe than sorry.

Her dad'd told her the water from the kitchen was always safe to drink. It was on a different system, closed in and away from dead pigeons and other such things.

She still missed him and his level-headed advice terribly.

She hugged her knees into her chest and put her head on them.

She thought how different her life would’ve been with him still in it.

He’d been out of it longer than he’d been in it now.

She couldn’t even remember the sound of his voice any more.

She let the tears fall, the pain as fresh as ever.

Blinking through them, she thought of Joe and his mom, to be told she was dead, then to find out she hadn’t been once she actually was.

That was so totally fucked-up.

She hated his dad on his behalf.

She was stuck, which kept happening where Joe was concerned, pulled in opposite directions at the same time, going nowhere.

Hating him because they were both so stubborn and it’d led to yet another stupid, ugly fight.

Loving him and wanting to open herself up to him, to have a real connection with him.

She’d tried it once, when they were lying in bed, the third or fourth time she’d stayed over.

They were both softer after sex, less guarded and more honest.

The day had been significant, it was her dad’s birthday, less than a week before her own and he was on her mind.

Impulsively, she’d started telling Joe about him and her childhood.

She’d taken his silence as indifference, and angrily she’d bailed.

It scared her to open up again.

But if she hadn’t done it first, he would’ve never shared his sad story with her.

And they wouldn’t be where they were now.

Fucking asshole, not know if she meant Joe or herself.

She got up again and took his aftershave out from the above the sink. Even in the short time she'd known him, the smell of it had become indelibly linked to him and, strangely, it comforted her.

She wanted to hold him, to lose herself in his arms, and in the inevitable physical side that would take both their pain away, even if for just a short time.

She sat down again, listening to the music, allowing it to wash over her again, clearing her head of all thoughts.

She started tapping along with one of her favorite songs, 'Shoplifting,' as it came on.

She was about sing when suddenly, a pink string started advancing under the door until there was about five inches of it.

She looked at it, transfixed.

Oh! It was one of her strawberry laces.

The flavored liquorice candy she'd put in at the checkout and had promptly forgotten about.

She was fascinated, knowing Joe was on the other end, but not knowing what he was doing.

It moved from side to side, as he tried to get her attention.

She raised her hand, but hesitated and it moved faster, as if it sensed she was there.

OK, she thought, and grabbed it, so he’d know she had it and then and pulled it towards her.

A strange circle appeared, made out the string, then another and then a third, all knotted onto to the first string.

The last was threaded through a hole in a piece of paper.

She reeled it in and opened it up, Joe’s neat handwriting sprawled across the page.

Fascinated, Cam absentmindedly started chewing on the laces as she read.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cameron,

I don’t want to fight with you.

You were right, they’re only clothes and it doesn’t matter.

They’re not important to me, but you are.

It feels like I’ve always been alone.

I don’t want that to be my future.

You’ve come and rocked my world and I’m sorry I resist you and go back to my bad old ways.

It's only a habit, I want to change and I want to be with you.

Please be patient with me.

What you do is amazing.

What you've done and what you will go on to do will be amazing too.

I’m in awe of you and excited about a future with you in it.

Joe

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was only the second letter received from someone she loved; her dad had sent her one in an early birthday card when he was posted over in Vietnam.

The first and the last one he’d ever send.

It was all kisses and how much he missed his little girl.

She read Joe’s again.

He didn’t say he loved her, but she could feel it.

Her heart was in her mouth.

It was the truth and not just his silky words, wasn't it?

She wanted to believe it.

Another strawberry lace came under the door and she could see the top of another curious circle.

She pulled it and two more appeared followed by another piece of paper.

She read it and laughed.

Then reached up and opened the door.

(Score count: Cam 3 – Joe 2)

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	9. Saturday Afternoon: Bathroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short n sweet one.
> 
> Warning: sexually explicit content

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm ... I wonder what he wrote in his second note so she opened the door ...

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 9

3.32 p.m. Saturday

Joe was sat on his bedroom floor, leaning against the opposite side of the bathroom door frame as the door swung inwards, Cam sat on the bathroom floor, facing him.

The opened pack of strawberry laces and a notepad were in front of him.

Alongside it there was a screwed up ball of paper and some more of the curious red loops.

They looked at each other, both seeming to recognise they were more emotional than usual.

Perhaps as there hadn’t been the normal cooling off period after a fight.

‘Hi.’ he said softly.

‘Hi.’ she said quietly back and before it became awkward, she picked up the last set of three circles, frowning, she asked, 'What _are_ these?’

He gave an embarrassed laugh, ‘Umm, they were supposed to be love hearts,’ and he smiled, 'But I couldn’t get them to stay in shape. Craft was never really my thing.’

She held them up, smiling as she inspected them, 'No shit.’

But inside, her heart skipped a beat, he’d tried to be romantic.

'So, may I?’ and he indicated the second note.

She nodded, 'Uh-huh.’

‘Err ... you’re going to sit there?’

‘Eeuuggh, no, gross!’ and she made a face, 'I do not want to watch you take a piss.’

But she still didn’t move.

'OK, so ...?’ his eyebrows furrowed.

‘We have to kiss and make up first.’ she said as though it was obvious.

'Oh!' he smiled and scooted forward, pushing aside the detritus in front of him and reached for her.

She moved forward too and leaned in to meet his lips.

It was soft and tender.

He moved back enough to look her in the eye, cupping her face and said softly, 'So I know you want me all to yourself, but sabotaging my underwear wasn’t really necessary, you know.’

She narrowed her eyes at him, not sure if he was teasing or chiding her again, until he smiled and murmured, 'Sorry I shouted at you.’

She put her hand over his and replied quietly, 'I’m sorry too.’

She lowered her lashes, looking down at his chest.

Apologies were still unnatural for her, but she’d get better with practice.

‘OK, I need some water, you do what you’ve got to do.’

She stuffed her Walkman, headphones, his letters and the candy into her bag and stood up.

His hands went to her legs as she rose, and his mouth was on her left thigh heading higher.

He caressed her legs as he moved his hands around and up to her butt.

'Aaahhh!’ she sighed closing her eyes briefly.

But she wriggled out of his grasp, 'Don't start something you can't finish, MacMillan,' she warned him, 'Go pee and I’ll meet you back here for a _shower_.’

She emphasised the last word and smiled at him flirtatiously.

‘Ahh, good idea.’ and he grinned as he stood up too.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When she got back, she found him already naked and steam coming from the shower cubicle.

He’d folded up the bath towel that’d been on the floor and placed it on the closed lid of the toilet, along with a second one.

There were definitely times when she appreciated his attention to detail.

Cam stripped off his sweatshirt for what felt like the umpteenth time, throwing it back on his dresser, not caring that it missed and landed on the floor.

Joe watched but said nothing.

‘After you.’ he said gallantly, holding the shower door open for her.

She giggled as he affectionately cupped her bottom as he followed her in closing it after him.

They’d taken a shower together several times now. They actually did try to wash as much as they could before their lust took over.

Today, they were both kind of impatient.

Joe grabbed one of the two soaps that now resided inside because of such occasions and started washing her breasts in the warm water in a figure of eight.

He turned so that the water was hitting his upper back, preventing it going straight into her face.

She squirted some shampoo into her hand, and he bowed his head, allowing her to reach his hair.

Joe found her lips at the same time and kissed her, delicately pushing his tongue into her mouth.

He moved the soap to wash each of her armpits as she reached up, trying to do it properly despite her chuckling.

Afterwards, he pulled her into him more, half turning to lean back against the tiled wall and started soaping up her upper back.

He reached up and angled the shower head away from her face.

He slowly worked his way down towards her waist and then lower, using the soap to caress each globe in turn.

Cam broke the kiss, took the other soap and starting at his throat, rubbed it over his broad chest, watching how the water and the laver made him glisten.

With the help from the soapy water, she easily slipped herself back out of arms, so she could sweep the soap quickly around his taunt stomach and down to his hardening dick.

He groaned as one hand glided up and down his shaft, and she used the soap to gently fondle and wash his balls at the same time with the other.

He put his head back and pushed his hips into her more, increasing the delicious sensations.

'So you like that, huh?’ she asked grinning up at him.

‘Mmmm, I do.’ and he looked at her though slitted eyes, smiling back.

He put the soap back and poured some shampoo into his hand, and then used it to slowly wash her short blonde bob.

He found her nipple with his other hand and started rolling and softly pinching it, making her moan.

She helpfully put her head back into the water, so he could wash the laver out of her hair again.

Then Joe moved forward, tipping the shower head back to rinse the shampoo out of his hair with his other hand. He shook his head to get rid of the excess water.

Then he refocused on her and came forward. He picked her up and folded his arms under her legs, hoisting them up around his waist, being careful to avoid hitting her head on the shower.

She loved it when she was so high above him that to kiss, he had to tip his head back fully and she curled herself down onto his mouth.

She rocked her hips against his chest to show him how turned on she was.

He turned round and let her down, so they were at eye level.

More gently than earlier, he pressed her back into the wall.

Once she was braced there, he pulled his arms apart, spreading her as he did, both hands homing in on her open pussy.

He stroked her clit and pushed two fingers into her.

‘Nnaaahhhh … aahhhh …’ she couldn’t prevent a moan escaping.

‘Do you like that?’ he whispered huskily into her ear, using her words from before.

She pushed herself against him with more force, ‘Hmmm, yeah …’ she breathed ardently, ‘I want you inside me.’

He smiled, pulling back to watch her, as took his hands away and instead rubbed his tip teasingly up and down the length of her slit.

She squirmed trying to force herself down onto his hard cock.

Groaning in frustration, she pleaded, ‘Aaahh! Just _fuck_ me, Joe!’

She dug her nails into his shoulders, knowing the pain would increase his need.

He groaned now; the deep rumble seemed to reverberate around the shower cubicle.

He positioned his cock and looked at her with soft eyes, ‘What’s the magic word?’ and his mouth twitched into a sweet smile.

She considered saying ‘Asshole,' but she knew he wasn’t being smug.

She waited a beat, so he’d know it was her choice, ‘Please,’ she replied, breathing heavily, 'Fuck me.’ staring back at him with a little smile of her own.

He lowered his arms, moving her down and arched his back, easing himself into her delicate folds.

The effect of him being inside her was more than just physical, somehow it soothed the deep longing in both of their souls.

Neither would experience such completeness with anyone else or understand that they were helpless to resist its pull.

It was a different kind of make-up sex than they were used to.

Usually, it was angry and electrifying, now it was soft and loving.

Joe cupped her head, protecting it from the hard wall and further bruising after the earlier accident in the kitchen.

She pushed a lock of his wet hair back, so it was off his forehead.

He dragged himself out of her, savoring how her face changed as she moaned at its loss.

They both sighed contentedly as he curled his hips and filled her again.

She put her hands on either side of his face and he let her pull him down, capturing her lips for slow sweet kiss.

He pressed himself into her again and they moaned as they watched each other, their eyes just inches apart.

With amazing self-control, he maintained a slow pace.

They kept eye contact and groaned every time he was fully inside of her.

It was as if they were trying to pour all of their sadness out and show the other with their flesh what they couldn’t say with words; that they understood the other’s pain and they were loved.

It would take more heartache and years before they’d be able to talk openly to each other.

This was the one thing in which their bodies outsmarted their brains, figuring out they were the missing part of each other on their first encounter.

Then Joe slowed as his legs were tiring, 'Hey, let’s take this to the bedroom.’ he sultrily suggested.

‘Uhhh … OK,’ she breathily replied, figuring he had been doing a lot of the 'leg work.'

She whimpered as his cock came out and he let her down.

They chuckled when she fell against him as her legs were shaky and he helped to steady her.

After washing off the remnants of any soap, they wrapped themselves in the towels and he took her hand leading her back to his bed.

(Score count: Cam 3 – Joe 2)

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	10. Saturday Afternoon: Bed Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to bed to continue making up ...
> 
> Warning: sexually explicit content

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 10

4.25 p.m. Saturday

The rain carried on its relentless downpour and made a dark gray curtain blocking out everything outside his bedroom.

Inside, Joe turned on a bedside light and chivalrously spread his towel out on the bed for her.

He turned and undid hers, letting it drop to the floor.

He brought her up to kiss him.

She loved it when he possessively wrapped his arms around her.

She sighed sharply as he bent her back and knelt above her with his legs in between hers.

She snaked her arms around his neck and pressed herself back up into his chest.

She took his lower lip and lightly bit into it, just enough turn him on rather than to hurt.

‘Hmmm …’ he breathed, pulling back to look at her.

His voice was full of lust when he told her to lie down and indicated to the towel.

She laid back and spread her legs invitingly.

He followed her down and covered her body with his, seeking her mouth again.

He stretched his arms down and starting at her calves, he stroked her legs and worked his way up to her inner thighs.

Using his nails, he danced all over them and eased up onto one knee so he could go higher still.

He teased around the outside of her pussy, going slowly all along the edge and into her pubic hair.

It made her moan more.

She shifted her hips forward, opening herself wider, trying to get him to move his fingers over to where she ached for his touch.

He left her mouth and moved to her ear lobe, where he began to place a row of hot kisses down her neck and traced a path to her left nipple.

He repositioned his hands either side of her body so he could balance on them as he knelt over her, moving down a little.

His tongue first bathed her pink nipple to hardness and then he latched onto it and slowly sucked it into his mouth, gently lifting it up before releasing and starting again.

Cam grunted and raised her body up at the same time clamping her hands around his head forcing him down further onto it.

He opened his legs more, forcing hers wider still and moved a hand back down to her pussy.

Using his only forefinger and thumb, he ghosted either side of her clit.

She was making soft mewing sounds from the effect he was having on her.

He enjoyed how she squirmed and ground her hips up, trying to get more pressure.

Each time she came forward he moved his hand back, to maintain his soft touch.

‘Aaahhh ... fuck Joe!’ she complained.

He looked up at her, ‘Hmm … little Miss Impatient?’ he smiled at her lazily, ‘Now you know how it feels.’ referring to her earlier game in the kitchen.

She frowned at him and blew out of her nose in irritation.

Joe said sternly, ‘Now stay still. If you move again, I’ll stop.’

He could play the same game she had.

She clenched her teeth in frustration and glared at him.

There was a time when she wouldn’t let him win such power play games, but now she knew there would be greater rewards for them both if she did.

So she relented and gave into him, settling herself back on the bed.

‘Good girl.’ his smile broadened, showing his teeth, shark-like, knowing it would infuriate her more and drive up her desire.

One at a time he placed her hands at her side, pointedly pushing them down, so she knew not to move them.

All the time, he kept the fingers of his other hand edging softly around the delicate skin inside her pussy.

He loved watching the effects he had on her as he took her up higher.

His cock twitched in response.

Her eyes fluttered and she groaned..

Try as she might, she couldn’t prevent small moans escaping and he watched with satisfaction as her belly started to rise and fall faster and faster.

Kneeing again, Joe put his other hand over her right breast, covering it completely and digging in with his fingers.

He trapped her engorged nipple in between them and not so gently, pinched it to hardness.

Her breath caught in the back of her throat.

Then he lightly squeezed her clitoris along its sides between his fingers and slowly and steadily rolled the little swollen organ back and forth.

She gasped loudly and her whole body tensed up at the unusual sensation.

‘Oh ... oh, Joe … aaahhh … aaaaahhh … haahhhhhhh …’

She was nearing the point of no return and her thighs quivered as she tried to keep still.

‘Pleeease … Joe … fuck me … aaahh … aaahhhh!’ she begged him as her whole body trembled trying to hold off her climax.

Joe quickly took his hands away and let her come back from the brink, thinking he taken her too far.

To distract her, he turned her hand over and kissed her palm as he took her in, her spread-eagled and panting, open-mouthed with and a slight frown, beneath him.

‘God, you’re so fucking sexy,’ and he sighed, ‘Look what you do to me …’ and he knelt with one hand under his swollen cock, showing it to her.

With eyes full of lust, she pulled her hand away from the bed and circled it around his shaft, pushing it down.

She began to jerk him off slowly and surely, looking into his face as she did.

He closed his eyes and bit his lip.

Cam breathed deeply still feeling the effects of his actions, but she smiled as he relinquished the power.

She raised herself up on one elbow to watch him.

He pumped his hips as she tightened her grip and he moaned deeply.

He opened his eyes, seeking hers, both their faces were drawn and etched deeply with their need.

‘Do you want me to fuck you?’ his voice was ragged and threatening, his eyes shone intensely.

She stared at him with a passion of her own ‘Yes.’ she answered thickly.

‘Tell me, I want to hear you say it.’ he demanded, lustily.

‘I want you to fuck me, Joe.’ she said, her voice was low and husky.

He came forward, putting one arm out next to her chest to balance himself as he lined himself up.

She laid back and watched him with rising anticipation, appreciating being able to look at his fine physique.

He readjusted his arms so that both were either side of her shoulders, at full stretch and supporting his upper body on them.

He looked down on her as he slowly slid inside.

Her slickness meant that her entrance was silky smooth.

They groaned deeply in unison as Joe curled his pelvis more so he was completely incased in her.

He savored how her internal muscles held him as she tensed up.

‘Is that nice?’ he asked, studying her face.

Her head was slightly tilted back, and her lips were parted, ‘Oh yeah.’ she breathed, and regarded him through slitted eyes.

‘Are you ready?’

As if to answer him, she ground her pelvis up into his and put her hands on his tensed biceps.

She looked down at where their bodies were joined, wanting to watch as he fucked her.

He slowly rocked his hips back and then sharply plunged his cock back inside, forcing a loud gasp out of her.

The second time he withdrew, Cam’s chest rose as she inhaled, and her mouth opened as the sensations nearly overwhelmed her.

She loved seeing his muscles contract as he rhythmically pumped his cock in and out of her, moaning deeply each time he was back inside.

He made her wait and she held her breath while pressing her pelvis up trying to encourage his cock in.

When he finally moved, he slammed into her so fiercely, she seemed to go up an octave and her head fell back.

Her blue eyes were locked on his again and they stared at each other.

Then she moved her hands to his chest and found his nipples, pinching them hard between her thumbs and index fingers.

He narrowed his eyes at her and she was now grinning slyly up at him.

Joe sucked the air in between his teeth and thrust himself powerfully back into her, while groaning, ‘AAAaarrrhhhh.’

He broke her contact as he pressed himself down on top her and pushed his tongue hungrily inside her mouth, forcing her head further into the pillow.

She was completely pinned by his weight, only being able to move her arms.

He ground his hips in a circle, enjoying how she groaned ardently into his mouth and her nails dug into the flesh of his upper arms and shoulders, wherever they could reach.

In response, he grabbed her arms and interlocking his fingers in hers, held them down on the bed out beside her head.

Now she was totally at his mercy.

He started driving into her again, his buttocks tightening each time as he rammed himself home.

He broke the kiss and was grunting loudly, which mingled with her moans.

Their noises got closer together, which acted as an indicator to the nearness of their climaxes, and they became increasingly violent as well.

She wanted to scratch him, but as her hands were trapped under his, she turned and bit into him, low on his neck, so he’d have a twin to the bite on the other side.

‘Aaahhhhhh … fuck … Cam ...’ he moaned both in agony and ecstasy.

She broke off as her body went rigid and he pressed forward, deeper into her, 'Yes … God ... yes … hhaaaaahhhhh ...’ she sighed as she began to lose control.

Tiny quivers started at her very core, where they were joined by pulsating contractions that quickly took over her.

As she writhed under him, his orgasm began, and in the heat of the moment, he moved his hands under her armpits and hooked them over her shoulders. He could now pull her down and grind himself even further into her heat.

Cam got louder as he penetrated higher inside her, forcing her legs wider.

As soon as her hands had been freed, she’d wrapped them around his bulk and driven her nails into wherever she could reach.

He’d dug his fingers in to the tops of her shoulders, and while her longer nails caused more damage, she’d have four perfect bruises on each side later.

They came back down to earth as their contractions subsided.

Joe lessened his grip and turned to tenderly kiss her parted lips.

‘Hi there.' he said, looking at her lovingly, with a smile that lit up his eyes.

‘Hi.’ she breathed and returned his gaze with an equally dazzling one of her own.

She moved up to kiss him, and he sighed contentedly and they basked in each other as their heartbeats slowed.

After a few minutes, she flexed her pelvis, ‘OK, you gotta move before I lose all feelings in my legs.’

His smile broadened and he eased himself off her. He laid by her side, stretching out his left arm as a pillow for her and pulled her back into his embrace with the other.

Cam rested one hand around his waist and one on his left pec, just above his heart.

‘Is that better?’ he asked, nuzzling her forehead.

‘Mmmm, yes. Thank you.’ and sighed softly as she pressed her body into his warmer one.

They both were thinking about the earlier fight, regretting their actions and harsh words now it was over, but neither wanted to mention it for fear of something flaring up again.

Instead, they held each other and let their fingers gently caress the underlying soft skin.

Their bodies started to relax down, and they were breathing in sync as they drifted off to sleep.

(Score count: Cam 4 – Joe 3)

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More is coming, it's still only Saturday afternoon!  
> Patience please. I'd love to know your thoughts. Comments and kudos are really helpful.  
> I'm going to work on Fate 2 for a bit, let younger Cam & Joe have some much needed rest, it's been a stressful afternoon for them, poor babies


	11. Saturday Evening: Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe cooks dinner
> 
> No sex!

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 11

6.01 p.m. Saturday

Joe woke up feeling cold.

Cam was shivering against him.

He pulled her in to his chest more, and she made a little noise in the back of her throat that tugged at his heart.

They’d fallen asleep on top of the bed, he wasn’t sure exactly how long they’d been there, but knew it couldn’t have been much more than an hour as he looked at his watch over her.

The bedside light was still on.

He stretched himself out and gently shook her awake.

He smiled at how she fought against him, instead wrapping herself round him tighter.

‘Cam … hey Cam, it’s just gone six, are you hungry?’

‘Nnnmm ... uuugghh … cold ...’ she whispered into his chest.

‘I know, we fell asleep on top of the bed.’ he told her softly.

He rubbed up and down her back with his arms to warm her up.

He even hooked a leg over hers and moved that up and down too.

‘Mmmmmmm ... that’s nice,’ she purred sleepily.

Then after letting him do it some more said, ‘Uuuhhhh … w-what time is it?’ her voice sounding stronger as she continued.

‘Just gone six,' he repeated, 'Are you hungry?’

He was ravenous.

She paused to consider and then opened her eyes wide, looking up at him, ‘Yes, _starving_.’

‘Good, let’s have those rib eyes.’

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in the kitchen, the thick-cut steak fries were already in the oven.

Cam had laid the table and put the ketchup in the center.

She’d bought the bottle over on her third sleepover, having forgotten all about it the second time.

He’d been decidedly unimpressed with the addition to his refrigerator, but she noticed how there was a little bit less every time she'd come to use it.

She smiled at his pretence of being more cultured and superior to her.

Take away his suits and he was the same as everyone else.

It was all just bullshit.

He was only fooling himself, she relished watching his carefully constructed walls come down.

She wouldn’t realise until much later that he was affecting her too, small things, like a preference for good coffee and the beginnings of a taste for whiskey. Also, emotionally too, although she’d actually need more time than him to open up and be more empathetic to others.

Perhaps the frequency and depth of the tragedy that had befallen him helped expedite the process.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

‘Cam?’ he called from the kitchen, but she hadn’t heard him.

She’d been looking through the selection of cassette tapes and decided on one of his for a change.

She selected the recently released ‘Speaking in Tongues’ by Talking Heads, she’d quite like the first single, ‘Burning Down the House,’ as it’d gotten a lot of airtime back in July and had charted high.

She didn’t usually like popular music, but they weren’t a normal mainstream band.

‘ _Yeah_ , good choice! I _love_ this one,’ enthused Joe, beaming at her as he came into the living room, ‘How do you like you steak?’

‘Oh! Umm …’ she liked it when he was happy, but her stomach turned as she knew that how you had steak spoke volumes.

She’d never really liked it too undercooked, preferring it medium to well, erring more toward well than medium. She knew he’d judge her.

‘Err, quite … medium to well …?’ she ventured, her voice went up high at the end, as it as prone to when she was nervous or unsure of herself, ‘How about you?’

‘Bloody.’ relishing her grimace.

Figured, she thought.

‘Why bother cooking it at all, just walk it up to the table and cut a slice off?’ she remarked drily.

‘Ooh, good idea, you can get the more choice cuts that way, and it’ll be still _mooving_.’ he laughed and beamed wider as she rolled her eyes, then when he’d stopped laughing at his lame joke, he asked, ‘So have you ever had it rare or blue?’

‘Ahh, no. I don’t like it raw, it’s disgusting. What’s blue?’ she hated when he flaunted his more worldly experience. It made her feel like she was from some uncultured backwater, which she was, but she didn’t like to be reminded of it.

‘Blue’s one down from rare and actually it’s the blood that gives it the flavour.’ but he wasn’t gloating, ‘C’mon, come keep me company in the kitchen.’ he said, offering out his hand, sweet smile, imploring her.

‘OK.’ her returned one creased her eyes, as she went over and took it.

Joe led her gently with her hand behind his back, things were back on track and he was in a good mood, ‘Fancy a drink?’

‘Yeah! There’s beer, right?’

It wasn’t what he’d had in mind, but relented as he knew it was her preference, ‘Yes, in the fridge. You know, red wine actually goes better with steak ...'

‘But _I_ don't like red wine. Do you want one?’ offering a beer to him as she went over to get hers.

She watched as he brushed the steaks with olive oil and then seasoned with salt and pepper.

‘OK, sure.’ if he was sulking over not having wine, he didn't show it.

She was feeling good too.

Maybe all the sex had helped relax them.

‘Thank you.’ as she passed him one.

They both seemed keen to avoid another incident and were acting so politely around each other.

‘What should we toast too? she asked.

It caught him off guard, ‘Oh! Erm, the success of the Giant at COMDEX?’

‘Ah, OK, I mean, yes … but I was thinking more about this … us.’ she looked at him shyly from under her lashes. Neither of them talked about their ‘relationship’ much.

He raised his bottle theatrically and moved to pull her into him, ‘Here’s to you, Miss Howe, beautiful, smart and ever so _sexy_.’ he lowered his voice as he bent down to kiss her, and continued as he released her, ‘Here’s to a wonderfully wicked weekend.’ and he chinked his bottle against hers.

‘Cheers!’ she giggled as they raised their bottles and drank.

‘And it’s not even half-way through yet!’ she remarked.

He grinned at her, ‘So what’s today’s score?’ as he checked the fries in the oven.

‘Four-three to me, but I feel like we should be on more,’ she hesitated before she continued, ’We started so well this morning, but the … afternoon was a bit of a wash out. Not that the sex wasn’t great, just there … wasn’t enough of it.’

He looked at her with a wicked glint in his eye, ‘Well, the day’s far from over yet.’ He closed the oven and added another 5 minutes to the timer.

He put the pan on but didn’t add the steaks.

Her eyebrows twitched in confusion.

‘The pan’s got to be very hot first.’ he explained, ‘So have you ever cooked steak?’

She wasn’t sure where he was going, his tone seemed congenial enough.

But, seriously?

‘Yes, of course, Joe. I _am_ Texan.' and she flashed her eyes at him in warning. Geez just because she didn’t do it all fancy like he did, she swallowed down a further comment about ‘Goddam big city hot shots ...’ but she did sigh theatrically.

She neglected to mention she’d always overcooked it and had to be careful that she didn’t accidentally turn it to charcoal.

She was making mental notes as she watched him.

‘OK, OK, I didn’t mean anything. I just know you don’t cook much, that’s all.’ he backtracked hastily.

She took a swig of beer and rolled her eyes.

He looked at her, considering, though what, she had no idea.

After about 10 seconds, she couldn’t bare anymore, and let rip with an exasperated, ‘ _What?_ ’

He turned back to the steaks, cutting some smaller pieces off each one and putting them to one side.

As he did, he said quietly, ‘I’m going to give you four different levels to try, and if you if don’t like one of those, I’ll cook yours however you want it. OK?’

‘Uh-uh,' she shook her head, ‘I’m not eating raw steak.’

‘It won’t be raw, I promise. Just different levels of pinkness.’ he stated, looking at her.

She’d just been a kid when she’d had uncooked steak and the shock had made her spit it out, it had just been seared on the outside and it was raw and bloody on the inside.

As far as she’d been concerned it'd only been wafted over a barbeque, by some asshole her mom’d been seeing. He'd delighted in giving it to her and had laughed hard when she’d squealed in disgust. All his asshole friends had laughed too. Her mum hadn’t ever noticed ... asshole.

She narrowed her eyes at Joe, undecided.

‘You’re usually so open to new experiences.’ he said smoothly, ‘You said how much you enjoyed the washing machine earlier.’ he needlessly reminded her, 'C’mon Cam, you can trust me.’

Not likely, Mr Product Manager, she thought, but said, ‘Sex is one thing; food is a whole different ...’

He didn’t let her finish, ‘I’ll give you one orgasm for one of these you eat.’

There were four bite size pieces.

‘Oh,’ her eyes lit up, but then she regarded him sharply, ‘When’s payday?’

‘Definitely tomorrow if I can’t deliver tonight.’

‘Wait? So you mean you’re NOT some sex god?’ she asked, enjoying teasing him for once.

‘I mean, I’m good, sure,’ he acknowledged, winking at her, ‘But I don’t want to give myself any unnecessary performance issues … pressure can do terrible things to guys, or so I’m led to believe.’ he stated silkily, still smiling.

‘Four by tomorrow lunchtime.’ she demanded.

‘Deal.’

It occurred to her that there wasn’t much she could actually do if he didn’t deliver, but she was pretty sure his pride would make him stick to his word, if not try and better it.

She would remind him endlessly if he didn’t. Annoy him as much as he usually did to her, she thought ruefully.

He looked at his watch and put one piece of meat in the pan, deftly turning it with tongs, making sure it was evenly sealed on all sides.

She watched him cook with mounting trepidation, ‘If I’m sick because of this, I still want my orgasms.’

‘You won’t be sick, I promise. There’s nothing in beef to harm you, unlike raw chicken.’

He checked his watch again and added the next piece, and started turning both of them.

In silence, she watched him and after another minute he added piece and then waited some more before adding the last.

‘Right, Cam, close your eyes and open your mouth, try this ...’

She heard the faucet, as he ran them under quickly to stop them from cooking more.

He made her wait, trying not to laugh at her as he did.

She jumped as his voice, low and sensual, was suddenly right next to her ear, ‘Open wide, and keep your eyes closed so you just focus on the taste.’

She felt stupid and frowned, getting impatient, ‘Joe, come on!’ she demanded angrily.

‘Sorry,’ he chuckled, ‘OK, I’m not going to tell you which piece is which, to make it a better trial. But it’s hard to control the cooking time for such small pieces and I’ve tried to cool them, but they’ll still be cooking now ... just slower ...’ he sighed, ‘It’s a bit of an imperfect experiment …’ he tailed off.

She listened intently, he sounded grumpy, no, more disappointed, as though he wanted to please her.

Suddenly, the first morsel of meat touched her tongue, as he fed it to her.

The aroma, earthy with a hint of ... ahh, yes, blood, but it wasn’t repugnant, filled her nostrils more deeply than was already imbued in the kitchen.

It wasn’t hot, but still warmer than her body temperature.

Instinctively, she closed her mouth, just catching the tip of his finger as he withdrew it.

‘Chew, so you get the flavor.’ he instructed, ‘Think about the texture too.’

She did as he asked, focusing on the warm chunk in her mouth.

She delicately rolled it around and crushed it with her premolars.

Saliva rose to meet the exuding juices, which slid over her tongue.

It was … delicious.

She chewed some more, and it wasn’t tough, as hers tended to be.

It broke up easily.

She swallowed.

‘So how was that?’

She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction, he wouldn’t tell her which was which, well then, ‘I’ll tell you at the end.’ she stated simply.

‘OK, just remember how that one tasted. … Open wide.’

She did as she was told, and he gave her the next one.

After all four, she was surprised at how subtly different they were, the third one had been the most flavorful, but the texture was too stringy.

‘Which one was your favorite?’

God he could be so annoyingly arrogant, maybe none of them were ...

‘Cam?’ when she hadn’t responded.

‘I’m _thinking_ ,’ and she sucked her cheek in, sighing.

When she srarted again, she said, ‘I think the fourth one, not the most flavorful, but not as stringy as three. Two was even more so. So what were they and what was number four?’

‘One was medium, two was blue, three was rare and four was medium rare.’

‘Wow.’ She was genuinely surprised.

He put her steak in the pan and checked his watch.

(Score count: Cam 4 – Joe 3)

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	12. Saturday Evening: Living Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How do Cam & Joe relax after dinner?  
> Play some games, of course.  
> No, not those games ...  
> Well, not initially ...
> 
> Warning: sore loser alert and sexually explicit content (a little)

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 12

7.38 p.m. Saturday

Dinner passed without incident, they were both relaxed and chatted about various topics, such as the first time either of them had touched a computer. His lateness was not a surprise to her.

They briefly touched on work and issues with the Giant before Cam took charge and banned all work chat.

She challenged him to a card battle, as he still didn’t have a TV or a game console.

They’d played occasionally the few times he’d stayed over at hers. She always beat him, much to his chagrin.

He told her to put on some music, and once the washing up was done to his satisfaction, he brought in them another beer each and it was game on.

They played a few two-player games that they both could remember the rules of. She was surprised how much fun it was to beat him, and then how much he wanted a re-match to get even.

She knew he had a competitive streak but hadn’t realised how deeply it was enmeshed in him.

After his sixth defeat at Uno, he resorted to underhand tactics of tipping her chair back, making her squeal as he grabbed it and she was bent back, balanced precariously on two legs holding onto him for dear life.

She tried to right herself, but he wouldn’t relent, instead he lowered her chair to the carpet and followed it down claiming her lips.

When he allowed her to speak again, she complained about his unfair play and he just smiled while he drew his hand along her thigh and up under the oversized sweatshirt to ghost across her belly, pushing it up and worrying her exposed nipples with his clever tongue and fingers.

She soon was too distracted to care that he was a sore loser, as she was reaping the rewards.

‘Let’s get naked.’ she didn’t have to tell him twice; he was pulling his tee-shirt off even before she’d finished.

She giggled as he tossed it carelessly to the side and went to work on his sweatpants.

She untangled herself from the chair and sat up enough to yank her top over her head and fling it with equal abandon above her.

They grinned at each other, faces inches apart.

Then, sobering and staring, mirroring one another, trying to read the other’s expression with eyes that flickered around their features, with searching, intense eyes, lowered brows and hungry, sensual mouths.

They stayed like that, daring the other to break first.

Eventually, Cam snuck her hands onto his bare chest and clawed her fingers around his pecs until they’d found and pinched his nipples, hard.

He groaned and lowered his head to her pursed lips as his lashes lowered and hid his dilated pupils, clamping down on her ruby lips as he pressed her head back into the carpet.

He pushed his tongue into her mouth, urgently, and covered her body with his, pushing her legs open with his.

‘Oh … clever.’ she breathed, ‘Nice move.’

‘Thank you,’ he exhaled into her mouth, and whispered, ‘We should play chess sometime, I’d beat you at that for sure.’

‘Hmmm, I doubt it, I’ve played against the computer a lot.’ and she smirked up at him.

He narrowed his eyes at her, his nose practically touching hers, and smiled, ‘Ahhh, but I’m not a computer, it’s different when you know your enemy.’

She hmphed at him and rolled her eyes, it was a line she'd said to him just after the hurricane, when they'd got together, properly, at least in her mind.

But she’d allow him the delusion of thinking he’d got one over on her, for now anyway.

His hand crept down her pale skin and pushed her leg up around his waist.

He closed in for another kiss and she captured his lip in her teeth. They stared at each other again and she couldn’t help but grin, which crinkled her eyes as she looked at him.

In retaliation, he slid his hand between the slither of space at the side of their bellies and threaded his fingers into her open pussy.

Finding her clit and gently pressing and stopping at the exact moment when she started shuddering. He took her sigh into his open mouth and watched her.

When he didn’t move, she hitched her hips, rocking against his finger, wanting more of him.

‘ _Joe_ …’ she whined breathlessly, her need sudden.

‘Tell me what you want.’ he lasered her with dark eyes, voice thick.

There was less foreplay than before, she wanted him, so without hesitation, she replied, ‘Fuck me.’

‘So crude.’ he intoned, mocking.

‘You fucking love it.’ she rejoined, intentionally being more vulgar and he smirked, showing his teeth, proving her right.

He positioned himself and in one shunt of his hips, was deep inside her.

She maintained eye contact as she gasped, mouth opened and began panting.

He withdrew, gauging her reaction, and thrust himself into her again.

‘Ahh … harder,’ she encouraged.

He repeated the action and increased his power, as she asked.

‘Yes …’ and again he plunged back inside her heat.

He kissed her, and pushed his tongue into her mouth, tasting the beer.

She wrapped her arms around his back, under his arms, digging her nails into his back.

Listening to his moan, she squeezed her legs round him, forcing him down further into her, she loved his weight pressing down over her and how his cock seemed to pierce further into her.

The combination made her feel like they were of the same flesh.

A two-headed eight-limbed monster writhing in its burrow, warm and fuzzy.

Although, she reasoned, it could also be the two beers making her lightheaded.

Tiredness suddenly swelled up and overwhelmed her, his movement made her feel giddy rather than turned on.

‘Joe, wait, stop … stop.’ and she pushed against his shoulders.

‘What? What’s wrong?’ confusion was etched his face.

‘Sorry … I’m beat, can we just snuggle in bed?’

He let out an exasperated sigh, making her nervous.

Then his features softened, ‘Yeah, of course, dead beat,’ he smirked, not unkindly and continued, ‘Actually, I’m pretty tired too.’

He stood up, bent to pull her up and then when she was standing, whisked her up in his arms grinning as she shrieked in surprise. But she laughed and allowed it, nuzzling against the side of his face.

As he adjusted her and started to move off, she asked, startled, ‘You’re seriously going to leave the clothes _there_? Your living room is such a _mess_.’ she teased.

‘Ahhh it’s fine.’ he stole a kiss.

‘ _What?_ ’ incredulously, ‘ _I_ know it’s fine, but you’re not going to pick them up? How are you going to _cope_?’

‘Ha har, if you keep goading me, little girl, I’ll put you over my knee.’ He was teasing back but with a stern face, so she wasn’t sure.

‘Don’t you fucking _dare_.’ Her red-hot anger arose instantly. and she pushed herself and she tried, unsuccessfully to get out of his arms.

‘I’m kidding, kidding,’ and he added softly, ‘ _Jesus_.’ and he jostled her, trying the soothe her with his hands up and down her back.

She glowered at him to make sure he got it, ‘OK then.’ she said sullenly, relaxing again.

‘Lights, please.’ he instructed as they passed through the doorway, she reached out and turned on the bedroom light and he backtracked so she could turn off the living room.

In the bedroom, he gently let her down on her side of the bed, ‘My lady,’ and he bowed dramatically.

She shook her head and swiped at his arm, still a little mad.

She pulled the covers up and went to lay down, while he hesitated as though he was going to say something. Then obviously thinking better of it, turned, and headed to the bathroom.

She heard familiar sounds and she knew what he’d been going to say.

She exhaled, closed her eyes briefly and gave a little shake of her head. She turned on the bedside lamp, before getting back up, turning off the main light and going to brush her teeth too.

She could do without the thinly veiled looks and snarky comments.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they finally got into bed, she reached over to turn the side light off, but he stopped her, ‘Leave it on, it’s just passed 8, its weird going to bed at this time on a Saturday.’

She sniggered, ‘I know, we’re so _lame_.’

Her eyes sparkled at him, as she grinned.

‘Speak for yourself.’

‘No, you’re the lamest.’ and she jabbed his side, knowing it was where he was sensitive.

As quick as lightning, he launched an attack on her feet, easily wrapping her calves in one arm, pinning them with his body and reaching up to tickle the soles of her feet with his other.

She screamed and kicked for all she was worth, but he was an immoveable object, she started raining blows on his shoulder and back, ‘ _Joeeee_ … no, no, no, stop, _please_ …’ breathless with failing reserves.

He stopped his hand and turned to look at her, ‘Do you take it back? I’m not _lame_.’

She laughed at his serious face, ‘OK, OK, you’re not lame for going to bed at, what 8 o’clock on Saturday night.’

‘8.12.’ he corrected, re-checking his watch.

‘Gawd, Mr. Pendantic … OK, 8.12 on a Saturday night.’ eye-roll, and but she was still happy. She didn’t want to fight with him, even play-fight, she was too tired, ‘Come up here and lay down with me, non-lame pretty boy.’

‘Ooh, OK.’ smiling openly at her change of tone and compliment. He slid back up and pulled her into his arms, ‘Geez, your feet are so cold, like two blocks of ice.’ he whispered into her hair.

‘I know!’ and she pressed them into him, liking how he jumped, ‘Warm me up, please.’

He rubbed up and down her back and put her feet in between his legs.

‘Hmmm … so nice.’ she said smiling in satisfaction, eyes closed, ‘How come you’re always so warm?’

He shook his head and realizing she couldn’t see, and said honestly, ‘No idea.’

After a minute or two, Cam felt as snug as a bug in a rug, ‘Haaahhhh … that’s enough. Hmmm …’ purring contentedly.

They settled, she put her head on his bicep and curled her arms into his chest, her head was nestled under his chin, and she tucked her legs in between his.

Joe wrapped his arms around her and tipped his chin, so his nose was in her hair.

Soon they were fast asleep.

(Score count: Cam 4 – Joe 3)

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh their sleeping again, does that mean Saturday is finally finished?


	13. Saturday Night: Bed Again (Curious)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rating changed due to content, it starts from about half-way down after lead up and discussion about the night she found out he was bisexual.  
> Skip over the next few chapters if you're not into anal or solo play. I'll give warnings in the notes.
> 
> Warning: sexually explicit content: rating Explicit

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 13

9.35 p.m. 

They were both still sleeping, recharging after the day. Their arms and legs still entwined around each other and the sheets. It wasn’t really late by their standards, but it had been a long day and they’d been very active.

Joe stirred first; he was hungry again after all his exertions. He tried to move Cam’s arm from around his waist and his leg, now wedged under hers.

She moaned and curled into him more.

He stopped, let her relax, and then he tried again. 

He managed to sit up, carefully twisted himself when she sleepily asked, ‘Where are you … going?’ she clumsily made a grab for him, and just grazing the top of his butt crack.

He turned and leaned down to kiss her, ‘I’m going to have a snack. Do you want anything?’ he asked softy, his eyes glinted as he smiled sweety at her.

‘Mmmmm …. ooh, we got some chocolate ice-cream … and you’ve got cornflakes.’ she sat up, suddenly wide awake.

‘Ice-cream and … cereal? he looked at her in disbelief.

What? It’s dairy, like milk!’ she reasoned, ‘Try it and if you don’t like it you get to choose the next position.’ she added her eyes sparkling.

‘Oh, why thank you. Hmmm, well, how can I refuse that?’ silky voice, his pearly white teeth showing as his lips drew back in a wide smile.

‘You can’t!’ chuckling.

‘OK, you better show me how it’s done, I might mess it up.’ lilting, softly threatening. 

‘You mean I’ve got to get up?’ she stretched up, and her breasts came out from under the covers, Joe, as quick as a shot squeezed a nipple and waited to see what she’d do.

‘Ouch!’ and she went to hit him, but he laughed and headed out to the kitchen, still naked.

She got up, quickly and went to pay him back.

He caught her as she came into the living room, and she squealed, as he swept her up into his arms, and readjusted them beneath her bottom. He brought her down enough to kiss her, her back pressed to the wall, gently this time.

‘Ohhh,’ he breathed into her mouth as he stroked her soft naked skin.

She wriggled trying to get out of his grip and then changed to pushing against him as his fingers found their way to her slit, ‘Aaaahhh, Joe!’

He smiled and let her down and licked his fingers, and grabbed her hand with his other, taking her to the kitchen.

They scooped up their clothes as they walked through the living room.

After getting dressed, Joe took out two bowls out and she went to the freezer for the ice-cream.

While waiting for it to soften, he picked her up and put her on the counter and they kissed, tongues fighting with each other. He caressed her bare thighs, while she stroked his throat and chest, pulling his top down.

‘Do you want a drink?’ he asked, moving back.

‘Hmmm, do you mean a drink drink?’

‘Uh-huh, there’s a couple of different whiskeys, wine, beer and some of that tequila you brought over last time.’

‘Hhmm ... the whiskey we had before?’ she said, meaning the one she knew was his favorite.

He got two glasses, ‘Do you want a lot or a little?’ knowing she found it strong, but he poured a generous measure for himself.

‘A little, please.’

She hopped down from the counter and put some of her orange soda into her glass. 

He made a face, ‘Cameron, you’ve just ruined a 30-year old single malt.’ he chided.

She took a sip, and flashed her eyes at him in delight, ‘Oh my God, that’s amazing!’ and she offered the glass to him.

He shook his head in disgust.

‘You’re such a snob.’ she shot back at him and took another longer draft. She shivered as the alcohol went down into her system.

‘Hey take it easy, it’s 40% proof and it’ll go into your bloodstream quicker with a mixer.’ he warned, as he took a slow sip of his, savoring the expensive liquor.

She checked the ice-cream, ‘OK, cornflakes, please.’ sounding like a surgeon talking to a nurse, but she’d learned not to go rummaging in his cupboards too much as he put things away in certain places. 

Occasionally, her rebellious side would mean that she’d move something just to see his reaction.

He watched as she scooped out some ice-cream into both bowls and then poured some cornflakes on top.

‘Da-daa!’ she said dramatically, and he smiled at her as he got two spoons, 'Obviously, it’ll better with chocolate sauce too ...’

‘Obviously.’ he repeated drily.

She decided not to comment that he needed to wipe the kitchen counter down, cleaning the wet rings from the ice-cream carton and her cold soda and chasing down a couple of stray flakes.

Once he was satisfied, they took their snacks and drinks back to the safety of their love nest in the bedroom. Joe also had the bottle of whiskey, and Cam her orange soda.

They sat on the bed, ‘Mmmm,’ said Joe smiling at her, after having a spoonful of her concoction.

‘Right?’ she said smiling back him through a mouthful. 

It was quickly finished, and they took up their drinks again. 

Cam downed hers and put her glass out for some more whiskey.

He smirked at her and refilled up her glass, shaking his head as she topped it up with her soda again.

His glass was nearly empty, and it relaxed him, the earlier stresses of the afternoon forgotten. 

He sighed contentedly and moved over to put his arm around her shoulders, ‘This is nice.’ he said into her hair and kissed her, liking the feeling of her soft body next to his.

He smiled to himself, maybe because of the alcohol humming around his system, but he felt his heart open to her more. 

He resolved to try to be better, as he’d written in his earlier note to her, and not just about the cleaning but to love her more.

She leaned into him and nursed her drink, comtemplating.

After a beat, she said, ‘So … you’ve had anal sex, right?’ 

That was not what he’d been expecting her to say.

It’d been a few weeks since she found out he’d had a month-long relationship with a designer called Simon Church over 10 years ago. 

She’d avoided talking about him or the fact that he was bisexual, since the day Simon came with the designs for the Giant’s outer shell. 

That was the day Simon’d had told Joe he was dying of AIDS and had come to say goodbye.

The fall-out of Simon’s visit had alarmed her, it wasn’t that Joe still loved him, it was the effect that the news had on him. 

It’d shocked him to his core, and he was deeply upset. 

She figured it’d opened a flood gate of emotions in him that’d gone beyond Simon, and had tapped into the sadness he was still feeling over his mother. 

He was angry too, about the disease and why it would take someone so talented. It spilled over into the fury he felt toward his father having lied to him for years. 

Everything he’d had so neatly under wraps, had unraveled that night when they got back after the gallery.

She’d never seen anyone in so much pain, as he hit the drink pretty hard.

She wasn’t sure what had happened or which way he was going to go. But she pushed him, and she managed to get everything out about Simon and the disease.

He cried until he had no more tears, and for once was very inarticulate. 

She wished she’d been better equipped to comfort him, but she was still developing herself, emotionally.

She’d just let him get it out of his system and held onto him until he fell asleep.

Earlier, after work, Cam’d confronted Joe about seeing Simon on that fateful day, sensing something had been off about the interactions between her boyfriend and the designer earlier in the office. 

It’d felt like more than just work, Joe had been so touchy and had acted so strangely around Simon. 

Stranger than normal anyway, she thought.

Joe’d been honest about their affair and had asked her if it was going to be a problem.

She quickly told him that she didn’t give a shit that Simon was a man, which was true. 

There’d been a guy at her school who’d been ruthlessly persecuted by some of the asshole jocks, who’d also made her life miserable whenever they could. 

The story went that he gone home after school one day, after a particularly brutal bout of bullying and slit his wrists in the family bathtub. 

He’d survived and the family had moved away. Apparently, she’d heard on the grapevine that he wasn’t even gay, he just hadn’t been a dick to girls. 

He talked to them like they were people and lacked the same callous ‘fuck anything that moved' attitude of his tormenters. 

She hadn’t known him, but he sounded like one of the good guys. 

She’d always just figured, who you were screwing or not, wasn’t anyone else’s business.

In regard to Joe and Simon, she reasoned that enough time had passed now, and the alcohol had given her courage to ask him something she was dying to know.

Joe, however, was more than just a little surprised by her question. 

But while he wasn’t ashamed of his sexuality, general society still wasn’t as accepting, and it was just easier to hide it.

Joe sat in bed and wondered where she was going, ‘Yes.’ he answered slowly.

She sat up and looked at him, ‘Do you give or receive?’

He raised an eyebrow at her in confusion, ‘Both.’

He was being cagey; he knew that she’d get to the point eventually, but he enjoyed watching her get out of her comfort zone.

‘Which do you prefer?’

‘It depends if it’s a relationship or a just a hook up.’

She looked puzzled.

He elaborated, ‘If it’s a relationship, then there’s give and take. If it’s a hook up, I prefer to give.’

‘Why?’

‘It’s a power thing.’ he said simply. What could he tell her that she didn’t already know? There was a reason ‘to get fucked’ was an insult. Men were generally assholes.

He’d had it rough at junior high school and had been bullied relentlessly. 

There’d been a nasty physical altercation with some older high school boys and his father had moved him to another school as a consequence. 

Joe’d only survived his senior years by playing along and becoming one of those jerks, screwing girls and bullying others. 

It was the first time he learned the importance of masking his real self.

She made a face at him, taking it that he wanted the power. 

But Joe’d meant the comment in general.

He downed the remainder of his whiskey, faster than he should have.

Her attitude and the alcohol suddenly made him lose patience, and he felt a stab of anger at her ruining his happy mood, ‘What do you want to know, Cam?’ 

She’d been the one to start this, he was wary and sensed another fight brewing. 

He didn’t want one.

She caught the edge in his voice and his body language. 

She decided to stop dancing about and just ask him, ‘I want to know … how it’s pleasurable, I mean for …’ she turned slightly to look at him and explained, ‘A guy did it to me once, and it hurt like hell. I bled for days after.’

He smirked at her, understanding now, ahh she was curious.

She tightened her jaw, an indication that she was about to lose it.

He held up his hand, signaling her to calm down, ‘You don’t think everyone has a story like that? Men are dicks, but you know that.’

‘So that’s happened to you too?’

He nodded, ‘Sure.’ and poured himself some more whiskey, needing a little something to help talk about it with her.

‘So how does it get better?’

He looked at her slyly, ‘Why so curious? Do you want to try?’

She looked at the sheets and blushed hotly. 

He thought she was adorable.

‘I think you’re too big for me. … But … I don’t get … uh, how it’s enjoyable … for the receiver.’ she finished quietly, refusing to look at him, her cheeks bright red.

He sighed, but started to explain, ‘You start small and let the body adjust and use a lot of lube. If it hurts, use more. Fairly big things come out of there every day.’ he stated matter of factly.

‘Ugh! OK so lube? Like lubrication? And small, like what?’ 

‘Uh-huh.’ and then he showed her his little finger, his index, index and middle together, then added the ring finger too and lastly his fist.

She baulked at the last one, ‘No way!’

‘Some people like it. It’s not my thing.’

‘Oh my God!’ she shook her head unconvinced, ‘Have you …? No, no, I don’t want to know! OK, but what about the …’

‘Shit?’ he finished for her.

‘Yeah?’ she said grimacing.

‘Oh, you really are curious.’ he shook his head, ‘You can wash, clean as much as you can. Have an enema, that’s when your colon, or back passage, is filled with water to get rid of all the faeces.’

She made a face, ‘Oh my God.’

He just shrugged, ‘You learn to deal with it.’

He looked at her and he knew what she was thinking. 

She was tempted but nervous.

He’d been there too.

He could feel himself hardening at the thought of fucking her there. 

She was right that he was too big for her without helping her stretch to accommodate him. 

He didn’t want to hurt her. 

He wanted to show her that it could be enjoyable and something they could do together, in time.

The alcohol was having a liberating effect on him too.

He sat up and delved into the drawer of his bedside table, he brought out some lube and a smallish-sized butt plug. 

He had bigger ones, but he didn’t want to scare her. 

He put them on the bed and waited for her reaction.

She raised her eyebrows, shocked, ‘Oh my God … ummm … I don’t know, Joe …’

‘It’s not for you, you can watch and see if it’s something you want to try. No pressure.’

Her brow furrowed, not really understanding what he was saying.

‘OK, lube it up.’ and he took another sip of his whiskey.

She took it gingerly and did as he asked.

‘More.’ watching as she was doing it, he took off his sweatpants and tee, laying down again. He squeezed some lube onto his fingers, reached behind him and tactfully applied it to himself. 

He’d take it step by step for her. Something that hadn’t been done for his first time.

He took the butt plug from her, ‘Take off the sweatshirt, if I’m naked, it’s only fair you are too.’ his voice was low and husky.

She stripped off, not sure what they were doing, but she was getting turned on by seeing his state of arousal and the illicitness of the act.

He passed her the butt plug back, ‘OK, you can put it in me, fuck me for a change.’

With knees bent, he pushed his hips up as high as possible and spread his legs wide. To give her better access, he pulled his junk up with one hand and pulled a buttock cheek wider with the other.

She moved between his legs and looked at her target apprehensively, ‘Ermm ... ready?’ 

His belly was already rising in anticipation and the lust showed plainly on his face, ‘OK.’

His eyes half closed in as she placed it against his asshole.

Oh dear God, what was she doing? she thought.

She started pushing it in, surprised at the strength she needed to use even with the lube.

Joe immediately started groaning, his legs trembled and he pushed his head back into the pillow, arching his body up slightly to help her.

She faltered as she needed more force to get the widest part in, ‘Yes … keep going.’ he breathed.

She felt something ... power, as she pushed it home to the tapered groove near its base.

The effect on him was immediate and he couldn’t help but pant even more.

‘Err, do I move it in and out?’ she asked, unsure of herself.

‘Nnmmmhh, in’s good.’ he grunted, and relaxed down into the bed.

He moved his legs together and he closed his eyes. His free hand started caressing his torso and found his nipple, while he started stroking his cock with the other.

His body was on fire, and he opened his eyes to see her watching him, the desire showing on her face took him up higher.

She used her nails on his thighs and was thrilled as he squirmed and let out a guttural groan. 

He closed his eyes, frowning in concentration.

He started pushing his hips up and his hand went around his cock, he started slowly jerking himself off in front of her.

She masturbated too, like most women, of course, but it wasn’t as widely talked about as guys. 

It almost being a thing of pride how far they could spray. 

Little boys, every one of them, she thought.

But Cam’d never watched a guy jack off before and was fascinated.

He began to increase his speed and his sighs followed.

He seemed to have already forgotten she was there, lost in his own pleasure.

She could tell he wouldn’t last long; the butt plug had definitely upped the ante.

Oh well, then, she reasoned and slipped her hand between her legs, moaning as she found her clit.

He cracked open his eyes at her sigh and looked at her, taking in what she was doing, his eyes dark with desire. 

He licked his lips, unconsciously, ‘Sit on my face, I want to taste you.’

She smiled at his invitation and moved herself up. She settled and held onto the bedstead.

His tongue probed her, and she rocked herself slowly against his face. She felt his passionate groans vibrating into her.

She realised she was facing the wrong direction, she wanted to keep watching him and climbed off again.

She kissed him to answer his unasked question, tasting herself on his lips.

‘Scoot down a bit more,’ she told him as she needed more leg space. When he did, she climbed back on. It was more difficult to keep herself upright, but the view was definitely worth the effort.

Joe was spread out beneath her; his hips rose as his buttocks tensed as he fucked his hand. His stomach muscles rippled, and his chest heaved.

She could feel his argent sighs deep in her pussy, he was trying to keep licking her, but his own growing need was distracting him. 

She ground herself down on his face instead, taking her own pleasure.

Joe started pumping faster and she placed her hands on his pecs to stay upright. 

It meant that she was near the business end of his cock, not that a little spunk bothered her, she just didn’t really relish a full load in the face.

His legs started quivering and she could see his feet flexing involuntarily as he was getting closer to his climax. 

She curled her fingers so she could squeeze his nipples and she felt him moan loudly into her in response. 

Then he moved his hand down to his testicles, spreading his legs so he could pull on and massage his sack. She filed the information about how he touched himself and what he liked away for another time.

The way he was writhing on the bed and she knew it was imminent. She hadn’t seen him get this aroused so quickly and it seemed the butt plug had definitely added more.

She wondered what it felt like.

She knew he got off on the pain and risked moving one hand to dig her nails into to his nipple again. 

It was like he’d been hit by a lightning bolt as he jolted and grunted. All of a sudden, his body started jerking and his face was forced up into her more. 

He quickly moved the hand that had been on his balls to catch his sperm and only some of it dripped on to his belly. 

She was suddenly grateful that he was a clean freak.

His body stopped spasming, and he relaxed down again.

(Cam 4 - Joe 4)

He sighed into her and started licking her with renewed vigor.

She moaned in response and he moved the hand that had been stroking his cock up to find her. 

He made contact and awkwardly cupped her face. 

He reached back further trying and failing to get a nipple and eventually gave up. 

He started feeling the effect of the butt plug once again, and he used his hand to stroke his body, despite knowing that he wouldn’t get another erection for probably at least another 30 minutes.

Cam started moving faster on his face, wanting to come too.

Joe stilled beneath her, but she was past caring.

She pulled at her nipples and grunted with the effort.

Unexpectedly, he started making noises and pushed her off. 

He moved out from under her and was breathing heavily.

She groaned in annoyance as her orgasm slipped away.

He laid there and looked up at her, his face was red, 'Sorry, I couldn’t breathe ... I … think I’ve had too much whiskey.’

She leaned over him and kissed him, ‘Not too much sex?’ teasing him. 

‘Maybe, I think you’ve broken me.’ and he shook his flaccid dick, ‘See?’

She laid down next to him, ‘Oh, that’s a shame, I’ll just have to go it alone.’ she then looked sharply at him, ‘If I come that’s NOT one off your debt, right?’ 

He smirked, ‘Of course not.’ he sighed and then continued, ‘Hmmm, as tempting as that is to watch, I’m gonna take a shower.’ 

He sat up, patted her leg and got up a little awkwardly due the object in his back passage.

She watched him falter a bit and realised he was unsteady on his legs.

It wasn’t like him, she frowned.

She sat up and watched his retreating back. 

He must be drunk, probably tired from the day and the orgasm he’d just had.

But she was too full of pent-up desire to be unduly worried.

She laid back down again spread her legs.

(Cam 4 - Joe 4)

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	14. Saturday Night: Bed Continued: Singles Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe's had his fun, now it's Cam's turn. Meanwhile Joe's taking an break and gets reflective about why he likes her..
> 
> Warning: sexually explicit. Some anal and solo play.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 14

10.33 p.m.

Cam started masturbating, too turned on to care about Joe in the bathroom.

The alcohol had helped lower her inhibitions as well. 

She focused on the feelings she was generating and thought about the sessions they’d had that day, especially and the really hot latest one.

She was starting to take herself up and was lost in the sensations, when suddenly she jumped at the sound of a thud on the bed. 

Opening her eyes to find Joe watching her and the butt plug next to her. 

‘Mmm, what a lovely sight ... I brought you something in case you were still curious. It’s clean.’ he winked at her, ‘I might come and join you if I’m up for it.’ 

He went back to the bathroom and she heard the shower turn on.

Thinking he’d be back soon and feeling squeamish about putting it in with him watching her, she made a decision, lubed herself and the butt plug up. 

She spread herself wide as he had and braced herself. 

OK bigger things came out of there, he’d said. 

She started pushing and decided to add more lube as he’d suggested. The tapered tip was easy then she needed to use more pressure.

She tried again, and forced herself to relax as she got to the widest part, grunting as it slipped in. 

Her rectum gripped and closed around the narrow base, holding it in place. 

She gingerly lowered her hips to the bed and closed her legs slightly, testing the foreign object inside of her.

She felt pleasantly full, but as though she had a scratch that needing inching.

She felt stretched and the sensations radiated up into her pussy. 

She stroked her clit and rotated her hips, enjoying the feelings and how the butt plug seemed to accentuate the pleasure.

She wished Joe would come back, her pussy felt empty and she figured the addition of his cock would feel incredible.

She could still hear the shower, and she briefly wondered if he was OK, but her need was more pressing.

She knitted three fingers together and pushed them into herself. They weren’t as satisfying as his dick, or his fingers, but it worked for now.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Joe stood under the shower, it was usually one of the speedier parts of his morning routine. 

However, he wanted to give her some privacy for her first time.

He enjoyed the heat on his muscles as well and turned up the pressure a couple of notches.

Besides, that last climax had really taken it out of him. 

It was his fourth one of the day, according to her earlier tally. 

He couldn’t remember having so many before.

Not that he’d ever kept count.

Other than Simon and her, he’d never spent a full day with a lover before.

Sure, there’d been extended nights, but he’d had two or possibly three before he’d got tired of whoever’s company.

He thought it best not to ask the finer details of her rules, such as whether midnight was the cut off or if it still counted as one session if it crossed over. 

Discussing it would necessarily entail an exchange of awkward details about other partners. 

He had too many and too vague a recollection to be of any real use.

He suspected she already assumed that he’d had many partners and had a low opinion of him in that regard. As she had about most men. 

There was no point dragging it up and proving he was a cold-hearted bastard. 

She’d say it didn’t bother her, but he knew it would. 

He knew she’d been with others and ridiculous as his jealousy was, he couldn’t deny it, it was deep and fathomless. 

It was a most unusual emotion for him. 

He was pretty sure there hadn’t been many, well they hadn’t been very good, judging by how different she was from when they’d started sleeping together to now.

He was proud of the change in her.

He just loved fucking her and it was getting better and better. Their last session proved that.

The sum of her parts equaled more than would seem.

He’d catalogued them on numerous occasions, as he pondered what it was that she had that caught his attention so. 

What made her unique.

He knew there were smarter, prettier, better dressed people out there. 

But were any of them compatible with him?

Perfect for him?

Did any of them love him?

He rested his head against the glass and let the water run over his neck and shoulders.

He reached up and massaged his head and then felt down to the knots in his shoulders and exhaled.

The fruition and success of the Giant was never far from his mind, but she was involved in it too.

He was tired.

No, sated, in a good way. 

He reasoned it was most likely a combination of his exertions throughout the day as well as last night. 

The whiskey had an effect as well. 

He smiled thinking of her on his bed, he wanted to go watch, but he had a good imagination.

Not that his dick was currently cooperating.

His last orgasm had really been something, not just that it’d been so illicit, but knowing that she’d been watching him had definitely been a factor.

He stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. 

Feeling thirsty, he wrapped a towel round himself and he slipped out quietly, intent on getting a glass of water from the kitchen.

Walking through his bedroom, he heard her thick moans and couldn’t help but look. 

His mouth dried more seeing her spread eagled, hips grinding up into both hands.

Her eyes were closed, and her pert breasts moved with her heaving chest.

Fucking beautiful.

His previously unresponsive cock, twitched, just once.

He stood watching undecided whether to join her or let her have this one on her own. 

He was pretty sure she was using the butt plug, from what he knew of her and her earlier questions, she wasn’t someone to shy away from something new.

He reluctantly turned away and headed to the kitchen, there’d be time for more play, probably tomorrow he thought realistically.

He wanted her to enjoy it and then she might suggest it again. 

He didn’t want to force anything on her. 

Sex with her was always electric, and he’d spent a lot of time thinking about that too. 

He knew they had very similar sexual appetites, that was essential. 

What she lacked in experience, she made up for in enthusiasm and willingness to try. 

Her confidence had grown immensely in the last few months.

Their combatant natures helped too.

What he wasn’t quite ready to admit to himself yet, was that he loved her. 

He loved being around her, that he knew, he found her awe-inspiring. 

He thought she was brilliant; she was full of ideas and he knew they were going to do amazing things together. 

The Giant was just the first of many innovative projects.

It’d been true what he’d said to Simon, she was the future, and it was bright and shiny.

But he loved her, and it was the first time someone had ever got inside his heart.

The idea of her leaving him scared him shitless.

He gulped down a large glass of water and filled it up again. 

He regretted drinking so much, especially after telling her how potent the whiskey was.

But he felt considerably better than before.

He took another glass and filled one up for her.

He entered the bedroom as quietly as possible, hopefully to watch her shudder and shake as she surrendered to her orgasm. 

Cam was still on her back with her eyes closed but her belly was rising gently.

She was already asleep.

He was too late.

(Cam 5 - Joe 4)

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm, will they go to bed, to sleep now?


	15. Saturday Night: Bed Continued: Doubles Match

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter for Saturday, Cam reminds Joe he has a debt to pay and he's 'up' for the challenge! 
> 
> Hold onto your hats, we're going for a ride ...
> 
> Warning sexually explicit (anal play and mild spanking)

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 15

11.23 p.m. 

He figured the butt plug was still in her and the day’s tally of orgasms had taken their toll on her as well.

He put the glasses down and eased himself on the bed next to her, so he didn’t disturb her. 

He watched her, as he had many a morning.

Her head had fallen slightly to the side, her mouth was slightly open, and he listened to the sound of her breathing.

Regular and deep.

She wasn’t classically beautiful; he’d been with better looking women and men.

But he thought she was pretty.

Although, he’d been around enough to know that it wasn’t just what was on the outside.

It counted for nothing if they were empty inside, for example, just a $1000 suit …

The observation that she’d made about him a few months ago.

She was always authentic, pissing many people off because she was.

She was smart, she was future-looking.

She’d had something that’d made him pay attention to her.

A heady mix of steely strength and vulnerability.

Fierce, he thought proudly, a punk, a rebel, well that was what she let everyone see.

He knew there was more under the surface, a deeper level that was caring and damaged.

The same as him, and they both hid it well.

He found her fascinating … and sexy.

Indescribably sexy.

He gently shook her arm, ‘Cam … Cam, hey.’

She woke with a start, as though she’d been dreaming, looked confused for a moment and then smiled sleepily up at him.

So sweet, he thought.

‘Hmmm, I thought you were going to join me?’ she sounded disappointed. 

She moaned as she rolled over to wrap herself around him, feeling the object stretch inside of her, turning herself on again.

‘Ahh, sorry, I needed a little time out,’ he admitted, ‘Besides, I thought you’d like some time to get to know your new … friend.’ he smiled at her indulgently, then added, ‘Did you have fun?’

‘Uh-huh,’ and she looked at him seductively, wiggling her hips against him. 

Sighing again, she said, ‘Please sir, can I have some more?’ 

‘Really?’ he marveled at her desire. 

He leaned in to kiss her, chuckling in a low voice, ‘Little minx.’

As they kissed, her hands went to his chest, stroking his scars and pinching his nipples, making him groan ardently into her mouth. 

One went lower and tugged at his towel, ‘If I’m naked, it’s only fair that you are too.’ echoing his tease from earlier.

He opened it up and she put her hand possessively around his cock, which had already started to stiffen.

He sighed again and he cupped her buttock, putting enough pressure to push on the plug in her ass.

‘Aaarrhhh,’ she moaned lustily and writhed against him more. 

She pulled on his cock harder and was rewarded with a deeper sigh as he got more turned on.

‘I want to ride you,’ Cam had grown in confidence and had no problem asking for what she wanted now.

Without waiting, she pushed him, and he obligingly rolled over on to his back. 

She climbed on top of him. 

He arched his hips up and pulled hers down at the same time, burying his cock deeply in her.

They both groaned.

She could feel his cock rub against the butt plug, and she started panting.

She closed her eyes, letting the sensations course through her.

Then she began to grind herself down on him.

Joe pulled on a nipple, loving how she bit into her lip.

He bent his legs, giving him more power to his thrusts.

'Oh God ... aaahhh!’ she moaned loudly, her pussy on fire.

She arched her back to increase the contact, pushing herself on to him more.

Her head was flung back, and her breasts pushed forwards as she arched herself more.

She cupped them and captured her nipples.

He clawed at her thighs and she twisted her hips, gasping.

She was spinning out of control at every movement and his touch.

She felt as though she’d been hit by a thousand volts when he ran his finger firmly over her clitoris. 

It was all that was needed to push her over the edge. 

She screamed in ecstasy as her body shook and clenched around the two hard objects inside of her.

(Cam 6 - Joe 4)

Cam slumped forward, supporting herself on his chest, breathing hard.

When she’d recovered herself, she looked up into his face to find him smiling at her.

It'd thrilled him to see her so aroused. 

Even now, she was flushed and red, and her chest was slowly heaving.

'Fun?’ he asked smirking as he already knew the answer.

Her face split into a broad smile, 'Oh yeah.’

‘More?’ and he slowly thrust up, grinning as she involuntarily bucked against him being hypersensitive.

‘Aaaahhhhh!’ and she bowed her head, barely being able to keep herself upright, but she looked up again, ‘Yes … you owe me three more, remember?’

‘Of course.’ and he smiled broadly, then his face changed, and she read his lust, ‘Cam, I want to fuck you from behind,’ and he started moving, ‘Put your hands up on the bedstead.’ he said softly, but his eyes were intense and dark.

He helped her up, spreading her legs wider while positioning himself behind.

She was already moaning as his one hand found her breast.

The other snaked down between her legs, angling her hips up into his, forcing her back to extend into an exaggerated arch. 

He reached between her legs and guided his cock into her.

Then he moved to play with her clit, which was slick with her juices.

She responded immediately, her body heaved and jerked against his.

Both holes were stretched and the pressure of him behind her forced the butt plug in further as he slammed into her.

On each thrust, she was moved forward, increasing the contact of his fingers on her clit. 

She’d only just come, but her body started quivering uncontrollably again.

She felt herself plunging headlong toward another climax.

It was agonising bliss.

He pinched her nipple and she screamed in shock, her back arched further and Joe pushed her pussy onto him more.

She felt like a ragdoll under him.

‘Nnnnnaaaaarrrhhhh!’ she screamed in ecstasy as she came.

The pressure on her clit was overwhelming and her legs suddenly buckled beneath her.

Her hands let go of the bed board, but she used them to push it away.

He followed her down, forcing her down into the bed, riding her orgasm, enjoying the feeling of her writhing under him and the lusty sounds she was making.

She stilled beneath him and took in huge gasps.

(Cam 7 - Joe 4)

She was helplessly pinned by his weight with his cock buried deep inside her, it rubbed against the object in her ass and his long fingers were twisted up into her pussy.

He flexed them and she juddered in response.

‘Aaaaahhh … Joeee …’ she moaned and turned her head on the pillow.

His face was next to hers, ‘Are you OK?’ he murmured, but before she could respond, he spoke directly into her ear, ‘Do you want more?’ and tilted his pelvis and curled his fingertips again.

She shuddered, amazed at her capacity, ‘Yesss ...’

This time, he started fucking her slowly, she was so sensitive that she was making almost continual noises.

She tried to move herself away from his hand, underneath her, but she was trapped by his thighs on either side, if she went back there was more pressure in both her orifices.

He started thrusting harder and the combined sensations were so intense that she tensed and climaxed again.

(Cam 8 - Joe 4)

Was this the third time? But there’d just been minutes in between them ...

Wow …

She was amazed, this was something new.

She was sure he still hadn’t come.

It seemed he was going to make good on repayment on his debt early after all. 

She would smile but she was too busy grunting through clenched teeth as her whole body spasmed uncontrollably.

It was almost too much, she wanted him to stop and keep going at the same time, to see how many more she could have.

She felt boneless, she had no strength to move, her arms had bent and each of his thrusts moved her up the bed, so her head was pressing uncomfortably against the wooden bedstead.

‘Uhhh ... Joeehh ...,’ but she couldn’t get her words out properly, the orgasms seemed to have short circuited her brain.

She used her whole hand to tap weakly on the headboard, hoping he’d get the message.

She felt a rush of cold air on her back and buttocks as he pulled her downwards firmly by her hips.

There was space above her again.

She sighed in relief. 

Her legs met his thighs and she felt them spread her wider, the cold air invaded her more intimate places.

Before she could do or say anything else, her body jolted from a heavy thwack on her ass.

She gasped in shock but had no strength to move.

‘Ooowww ... nohh!’ she complained inarticulately into the bed covering.

Strangely, the sting of the slap had changed, and an intense heat was now radiating down into her pussy. 

It’d also put more pressure on the butt plug, adding to the fire inside her loins.

Transfixed, Joe put his hand over the red handprint already forming on her white globe, pushing down into the tender skin and angling it onto the object buried there again.

She simpered as her hips shifted and rolled, wriggling sensually, trying to move away.

He placed one of his hands possessively on her hips, holding her in place and he leaned forward, pressing his other softly onto her as yet untainted buttock, ‘One more on the other cheek, because you’re so baaaad?’ he drew out the last word, as she had earlier.

She felt the confusing dilemma of being, what, his plaything, some naughty little girl being spanked versus the proud feminist she was.

But it felt so damn good, she felt as though her loins were on fire, an intense liquid heat was blazing through the center of her.

Faintly, ‘Yessss.’ and she buried her head in the sheet and tensed up. 

Her face burning as crimson as her lower cheek.

She screamed as he landed another blow, right on target.

He dug his nails into the tender skin that was already turning red and felt the heat of blood rush to meet his hand.

She whimpered deliciously.

‘Do you want some more, Oliver?’ he smirked, his voice raspy, loaded with need.

Her addled brain didn’t connect the reference, she only wondered if he'd forgotten who he was screwing.

‘Cam,’ she corrected him and then moaned throatily as he pulled her butt cheeks apart with his thumbs and squeezed each one between spread fingers, ensuring lots of contact.

He lined himself up and easily pushed into her heat again.

Joe didn’t bother to explain, his cock throbbed, and he wanted to come.

He rammed into her, and she was grunting loudly each time he was fully in her. 

The sounds got closer together as he increased his speed.

He loved how responsive she was.

He slipped his hand down to her pussy again, she was so deliciously wet, and his fingers slid around her engorged clit as she tried to fight him, desperately squirming herself backward as she was so sensitive.

But she only succeeded in pressing herself onto his cock more and increasing the contact with her reddened ass.

Her movement drove up his passion.

Her body rocked up into him further, as she had another orgasm.

(Cam 9 - Joe 4)

Joe marveled at her capacity, paid in full, he thought.

It wasn’t as if he’d had much experience in giving multiple orgasms. Before her, he would satisfy himself and not consider his partner.

But this, this thrilled him.

He could feel her muscles tensing and contracting so strongly that they actually moved his much heavier frame.

It would be hard to wake her later as she’d be totally spent, but he’d force her to get up, go into the bathroom and take the butt plug out before finally allowing her to collapse in sleep.

She came again and this time as she finished, Joe exploded into her. 

He barely noticed that she’d stopped moving. She was just making small whimpers as the strength of his climax made him growl and claw at the bed. 

(Cam 10 - Joe 5)

Paid with interest.

He just remembered to hold himself up on one arm, so he didn’t squash her.

After he’d got her back into bed, he went and fastidiously cleaned off the mix of her sticky juices, as well as his own come, from his cock and his hands. Then with equal attention to cleanliness, he brushed his teeth.

He climbed into bed and she didn’t even stir, save for a small, endearing, exhausted whimper, as he pushed one arm under her neck and moved in to spoon her.

He wrapped his other arm around her waist, drawing her back into his body, so the soft cushion of her ass rested on his thighs and he moved his hand up to clasp hers.

Her hand spasmed and opened, resettling around his thumb, as he pulled it away, some latent reflex in her tightened its grip. He sat up and peered around her to check she was still asleep, despite hearing the regular soft sighs of her breathing.

He tried to pull away again and he watched her hand squeeze around his and he felt a bubble of fierce love rise up inside of him. It was an odd, magical sensation and brought a tender smile to his face. He laid back down and kissed the hair at the back of her head.

He felt light and happy as he relaxed and let sleep take him.

(Cam 10 – Joe 5)

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do enjoy comments, it help spur me on, writing is a very 'solo' pleasure and your comments really do help.
> 
> Part of Sunday is already locked and loaded, but I'm also job hunting and I've been doing a shed load of writing recently, I have a vacation booked, so there will be a break before more updates.


	16. Sunday Morning: Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, it's Sunday!
> 
> Cam wakes up before Joe and she wants to play ...

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 16

6.48 a.m.

Cam woke up, she felt Joe’s arms around her and listened to his soft snores. It was some time in the early morning, but the room was gloomy as the blinds were still drawn.

She could hear the rain steady pitter-patter against the window, it seemed less violent than the day before.

She turned to watch him, enjoying the luxury of being awake before him for once. She liked how relaxed he looked.

She studied his face, there were fine lines around his eyes and a deep furrow in his forehead, she knew he was constantly thinking about Cardiff, the Giant and the future.

This weekend had been a welcome break for both of them.

She felt wonderful, like she didn’t have a care in the world. Yesterday's day of play had definitely helped. She chose to ignore their fight and smiled happily.

She slowly untangled herself from the drape of his heavy arm and slipped out to the bathroom.

Her ass was a little sore but there wasn’t any bleeding. She couldn’t believe how hot last night’s sex had been, the addition of the butt plug on both of them had been electrifying.

She decided she’d like to try fucking him when they both had one in.

She was pretty sure he’d have another, if not a whole collection, she would check out his bedside cupboard at some stage, or just ask him.

She dried herself and felt wetness between her legs again. She couldn’t believe that after yesterday’s full day of play, her body still wanted more.

How many orgasms had she had yesterday?

She calculated adding in the extraordinary evening session, which made the day’s score ten. Wow, a new high score that would be really tough to beat. She'd like to try, though.

He’d kept his promise and repaid her for the four pieces of steak plus. She’d felt that anything he’d have done would have kept her coming last night, she’d felt so out of control. That was something new for her.

She went back to the bedroom and wondered if Joe would be ‘up’ for another romp.

She got back into bed and gently explored him, he was still on his side and she stroked down his chest, one hand concentrating on teasing a nipple to hardness while the other one moved around his various scars, on its way lower.

He groaned softly, and she stopped to watch him.

Still asleep.

She wondered how far she could take him before he woke up.

She always enjoyed a new challenge.

Her hands continued and she smiled to herself finding that he was semi-erect.

She didn’t know why men’s physiology meant they got morning hard-ons, but she was going to take full advantage of it.

She watched his reaction as she grasped his length.

He sighed again, but his eyes stayed closed.

She carefully eased herself further down the bed, so she could take him in her mouth.

She held his firmly with one hand and caressed his testicles with the other.

She felt his body tense and he let out a low moan, as she stated to lick up the underside of his stiffening shaft.

She pushed his hip gently at first and then more firmly, but she wasn’t strong enough to roll him onto his back.

So she caressed his buttocks and his thighs instead, and took him in her mouth. 

His hips started slowly rocking by themselves and he was emitting regular soft grunts in time with what she was doing.

Then she had an idea, she pulled his bottom leg up by the knee, using all her strength and pushed his hip again, his lower half twisted, and she heard more groaning, louder this time.

His body shifted, so he was on his back and she followed him down and carried on giving him head.

‘Aaahhhh …’ the sheet got pulled back and Joe was looking down at her, frowning slightly, ‘Oh! Well, good morning …’

She smiled as much as she could with his cock in her mouth.

‘Jesus, you really are ravenous,’ but his face showed admiration, and he closed his eyes as his head fell back into the pillow. There was a small smile on his face.

She loved how different he could be from his work persona.

These last few months he’d let his mask slip more and more around her.

She knew that the first Joe everybody met was the expert marketing suit, the arrogant asshole.

But she realised that _wasn’t_ who he _was_.

He’d been damaged young and had gone into survival mode.

He’d told her that he’d been bullied at school for being ‘different’, he hadn’t gone into details, but she immediately understood what he’d meant.

The asshole was a persona, just he’d worn it so long and it’d become part of him too.

Sometimes he just forgot to put it back in its box.

She heard his grunts getting closer together and his thighs trembled deliciously.

‘Aaaahhhh … Cameron … nnhhh-nnnhhhh … I’m gonna c-come soon.’ he warned, leaving it up to her whether she stopped or not.

She wanted to take him to his climax, getting off on the power trip. Even though she knew he wouldn’t be up to fucking her afterwards.

They could do that later; she knew he’d want to pay her back.

His stomach muscles started contracting and his mouth hung open.

She felt his hips push up and she directed his cock into her mouth to catch his sperm.

He spasmed a couple of times and she swallowed quickly trying not to taste it.

(Cam 0 – Joe 1)

She didn’t mind occasionally, and he never insisted, unlike a couple of guys she’d been with had.

One had shot it all over her face, going into her eye and up her nose, she winced at the memory.

‘Haahhh … ohhh ...’ he breathed deeply, ‘Mmmm, well that was a very nice way to wake up.’ and he smiled at her, ‘Thank you.’

She returned it and leisurely worked her way up into to waiting arms, ‘You’re welcome’.

‘Good morning,’ he whispered as he kissed her temple, ‘Let me have a little breather and I’ll attend to you.’

‘Ooh, thank you.’ and they beamed at each other, enjoying their playful, softer sides to come out for once.

She nestled into to his shoulder and gently stroked the skin of his throat and upper chest, including the two almost symmetrical scars there, knowing him enjoyed it.

He made an appreciative rumble that went down into her loins, and caressed her back, squeezing her tenderly at the same time.

‘Joe?’

‘Hmm?’

‘Do you have another of those … umm … from last night?’

‘Jesus, I must be Frankenstein, I’ve created a monster.’ he chuckled, ‘It’s called a butt plug.’ he added helpfully.

‘I thought Frankenstein _was_ the _monster_?’ she was confused.

‘Ahh, no, Frankenstein was the man, the _creator_ , the monster didn’t have a name. But it’s a common misconception, Miss Curious.’ he told her, ‘And yes, I do. Why? Do you want a butt plug before breakfast?’ his mouth twitched into a smirk.

‘No! But I was thinking that … umm … I’d like to try it with us both having one in.’ her voice went up at the end showing she was nervous saying it, ‘Later, not now.’ she added hastily.

He brought her up to lie on top of him, so he could study her face, ‘Ooh, kinky.’ he said smiling stroking down her back to rest on her hips, positioned directly over his.

She blushed deliciously and couldn’t hold his eye.

He gently raised her chin, so she was looking at him, ‘Hey,' he started softly, 'Don’t be embarrassed. It’s just a sex act, that’s all. What goes on between consenting adults in private, is just that, private. This would be tame to some people. But life can be so full of shit. Take as much as pleasure as you can, while you can, and if you find someone you can be yourself with, even for a short time, then that’s really … special.’

‘A short time? Are you talking about …’ she searched for the right words, ‘This?’ meaning her and him, and she searched his face.

Her stomach flipped wondering where he was going.

They both panicked.

He'd meant he could be himself around her, he’d meant it as a compliment, but she’d latched on to the wrong part.

He hadn’t meant that about them, he’d been talking in general, but he saw her face drop and wanted to reassure her. He wasn’t good at expressing his feelings where she was concerned.

‘Cam, I love … this,’ he should’ve told her he loved her, but it terrified him to open himself up someone else.

It was the one thing he still couldn’t say to her.

He wouldn’t be able to for years and he’d always regret his cowardice.

‘But listen, I don’t have a good track record with relationships …’ he trailed off, before saying, ‘Maybe I’m too broken, I don’t know.’

She couldn’t speak, he saw different emotions fight for control on her face.

He didn’t know which she’d settled on as she climbed off him.

She sat facing away from him on the edge of the bed, not knowing what to say.

‘Cam,’ he tried, angry at himself for ruining the mood.

But he wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know, he was being honest for once. That’s what she’d said she wanted.

She tensed her shoulders and shook her head, wanting him to stop.

Talking himself out of trouble was the one thing he was good at, and she didn’t want to hear it right now.

Nonetheless, Joe wasn’t one to give up easily, ‘Cam,’ trying to reason with her and spoke more softly, ‘Hey, I wasn’t talking about _us_. I meant it in general. _But_ I _can_ be myself with you, and that _is_ special. That I can share my sad story with you and you … you accept _it_ , accept _me_.’ he swallowed hard, wanting to force down his strong emotions that had come up unbidden.

She bowed her head, still unwilling to look at him.

She was fighting with herself; she knew he hadn’t meant to upset her, but the thought of what they had ending, had caught her off guard.

She wasn’t able keep her emotions in check so easily.

It felt similar to when she was in the taxi watching him walk off hand in hand with Simon.

The hurt had felt like someone had ripped her open and she’d been unprepared for the depth of her feelings for him.

He took it as a good sign that she was still there and hadn’t just bolted again.

He tried to move over to her as quietly as possible, wishing his bed were smaller.

He sat next to her and pulled her into him, she didn’t resist.

He placed his head next to hers and kissed her temple, ‘Hey, I was trying to pay you a compliment.’

She closed her eyes and when she opened them the tears spilled silently down her cheeks.

‘Aw, Cam, you’re making me cry.’ and he pulled her round to look at him so she could see the tears in his eyes.

They looked at each other, his face inched closer to hers slowly, as if not to scare her away, he let out a small laugh as he put his forehead next to hers and said, ‘What a pair, eh?’

She gave a short snort, snot-filled, in agreement through her exhale, wiping her nose quickly with the back of her hand, she looked at him, eyes rimmed red.

‘Wow, your eyes look _so_ blue right now.’ he kept looking at them, distracted, fascinated.

Embarrassed, she looked down, finding his lips instead.

Without thinking, she pressed herself forward to kiss them and he pulled her into him more, returning it.

She watched the thin trail of saliva that linked them suddenly break as they moved apart, although his warm breath still caressed her cheek as he breathed.

‘I’m sorry, OK? Let me make it up to you.’ he said, his quiet voice sounding like liquid honey, it just got to her, as always.

A shiver went down her spine.

He’d won her over again.

Joe stood and lifted her up, placing her back on the center of the bed.

She clung onto him, sighing as he kissed her deeply.

This was what she wanted.

She didn’t want to think about what the future might hold.

Her hands went around him as by instinct as their bodies pressed closer together.

It gave comfort to each of them.

Surprisingly, Joe felt himself harden, it hadn’t been that long since he’d come, but his body responded to his desire for her.

‘I want to be inside of you.’ his need outstripped everything else, ‘Are you ready?’

‘Yes,’ she’d gotten wet giving him head before. She moaned ardently and spread her legs beneath him.

They watched each other as he slowly entered her, studying the reaction on the other’s face.

Both loving this part, and it’d still hold its fascination way into the future.

It was a different kind of hotness to the night before, softer, but full of passion none the less.

Joe gradually increased his speed until they were both panting and sighing, goading each other on to their climaxes.

Afterwards, they snuggled under the covers and tenderly kissing their exposed parts, reveling in their softness.

They fell back asleep, entwined.

(Cam 1 - Joe 2 – Weekend Total: Cam 11 - Joe 7)

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	17. Sunday Morning: Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cam and Joe make ... breakfast and try to have a ... CONVERSATION (shocker)  
> \---  
> Can they?  
> \---  
> Especially after their earlier 'misunderstanding'?  
> \---  
> Can they keep to their vow of no more fights?  
> \---  
> Do they only have the Giant and their sexual appetites in common?  
> \---  
> Will it inevitably end in tears?  
> \---

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch. 17

9.12 a.m.

Cam woke up to an empty bed.

She heard the flush of the toilet and Joe appeared.

He bent down to kiss her, his eyes crinkling and white teeth flashing in a broad smile, ‘Good morning again! Are you hungry?’

‘Hmmm, yes, starving!’ she announced dramatically as she squirmed, stretching her arms up and arching her back, ‘HhhhmmmmMMMmmm … ahh … good morning.’ Finally smiling up at him.

‘So, do you want to stay here or come help me?’

‘What are we having?’

‘Hmmm, how do you feel about blueberry pancakes?’

‘Yes! Perfect, ...ummm … with ice-cream?’ she smiled hopefully, looking up at him with big blue eyes, going for innocent cajoling.

It worked as he smiled back indulgently, 'Well, I don’t see why not, it’s dairy, right?’

‘That’s right.’ she smiled her most dazzling smile up at him.

He was a quick learner, she thought proudly.

She remembered another breakfast a long time ago, when she’d been a ‘little weiner,' asking her dad the same thing.

Of course, he’d happily agreed, annoying her mother by spoiling his ‘little angel.’

She’d always been able to twist him around her little finger.

There were pancakes, although with banana and vanilla ice-cream, but she was transported back to that time and she had a look of such undisguised happiness that it warmed Joe’s heart.

He bent down to kiss her.

‘Hmmm, minty,’ she said licking her lips, ‘OK, you go and make a start and I’ll come and join you.’

‘OK.’ and he held his hands out to pull her up as he got up again.

She headed to bathroom and Joe went to the kitchen, after retrieving the detritus from the previous evenings’ snack and drinks.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When she joined him, she could smell the coffee and he was making a start on the batter.

She put her arms around him from behind in a re-run of the previous morning.

‘Can I help?’ she asked.

‘Sure, can you finish off the coffee?’ and reached up into a cupboard and took down two cups, ‘And take out the blueberries from the fridge and get the ice cream, please.’

Coffee was an easy task, they both took it black, however, Joe had no sugar to her two.

She completed his other requests, putting both on the counter and took a sip of the sweet, black liquid, ‘Ohhh! I do love my morning coffee.’

She hated to admit but she’d come to appreciate his expensive taste, especially where ground coffee was concerned.

He turned and smiled at her, reaching for his and taking a sip, ‘Mmmm, me too.’

He went back to mixing the pancake batter after he’d put some oil in the pan to heat it.

Cam watched him, he had such an easy way in the kitchen, so unlike her. Suddenly, she heard herself asking, ‘So when did you learn how to cook?’

He paused momentarily in what he was doing, and she watched a shadow passed across his face causing his eyebrows to form a straight line and his jaw tighten.

She opened her mouth, about to back-paddle with the personal question, when unexpectedly he said, ‘I guess it started helping my mom. I couldn’t even see see over the counter.’

She froze, wide-eyed in shook, understandably as he so rarely talked about his childhood. His parents were such a difficult subject for him.

She didn’t know if she should ask a question to keep him talking, but he’d just paused, he actually smiled as he recounted, ‘She’d baked a lot, cookies, cakes, apple pies, anything … I just loved mixing everything up, so she’d let me do that, despite the mess I made.’

His eyes gleamed, as he confessed, ‘I wasn’t very coordinated, I'd end up with batter, cookie dough or cake mixture all over me and the floor. And of course, like most kids, I’d eat a lot of it too. She’d always have to make double the recipe.’

He risked looking at Cam, a small unguarded smile on his face and she could almost see him as that cheeky kid.

‘Didn’t she get mad?’ automatically thinking of her mom, who did whenever she’d tried to help and made even the smallest of messes, and that was even before sticking her finger in and getting any of the coveted mixture. She’d usually get whopped for that, her mom'd been pretty hard on her.

‘Oh no.’ shaking his head, his eyes seemed to sparkle and the shallow dimple on his left cheek appeared.

God, he was handsome, she thought, and that he’d could get away with anything. She’d bet her bottom dollar that he’d just completely charm _her_ mom if they ever met.

But she smiled and jokingly said, ‘Oh, I see a mommy’s boy, huh?’

His mouth pursed and his jaw flexed.

_Shit!_

It flicked through her mind that maybe that’d been something he’d been taunted about.

But if she hadn’t known better, she would have doubted she’d seen it as in blink of an eye, with a wink and half a smirk, smug and charming Joe was back. ‘Of course, it’s how I learned to be so good with the ladies.’ Ignoring her eye roll as he chuckled, casually popped a blueberry in his mouth, and homing in for a kiss.

He broke and returned to breakfast, pouring some batter into the pan. He opened a cupboard and grabbed two plates while keeping an eye on the forming pancake.

She wanted to keep mining the small seem he’d revealed and see if there was any more he’d give up.

‘So what else did you cook with her?’ she kept her tone light, trying to belie her interest in his relationship with a mother that he’d only had until he was 11.

‘Oh, all sorts really, breakfasts and dinners. It was just me and her as my father was away in the navy most of the time. I guess I just picked it up. Then after … I kinda had to cook and fend for myself.’

She didn’t prod any more, knowing it was a tough subject, but she thought it was strange that he referred to his dad so formally. It was almost as though he was distancing himself from the man.

Not that she could blame him, after all he had lied to Joe for 23 years that his mother was dead when really, he’d forced her to leave, and she thought she had parent issues.

Then it occurred to her, they were both only children and she wanted to know why. She blurted out, ‘So how come you don’t have any brothers or sisters?’

He looked at her as if surprised by the question, as if it’d never occurred to him before. He flipped the pancake with ease and contemplated it with more seriousness than was necessary.

Just as she’d given up on getting an answer and was about to fill the awkward gap with the reason that she was one, he spoke.

‘I think,’ and he paused as he used the spatula to put the pancake on the plate and started pouring out another one, ‘They probably didn’t get on that well. It’s weird, I’d always thought it was my accident that drove them apart, and for years just blamed myself, but …’ he faltered and then looked at her and she could hear the edge of anger come into his voice, ‘When he finally told me the truth, he’d said it was the final straw, like there’d been other stuff … I probably should find out more about that … one day.’ he tailed off sadly and sighed, turning back to his task, the topic now closed apparently.

She wasn’t sure what to say next, but didn’t want to push and make it any more uncomfortable for him, so the silence hung heavily between them.

For once, Joe helped her out, ‘How about you? Why don’t you have any?’

Glad of something to fill the void, she rushed into her story, ‘Ah, well my dad wanted a whole _brood_ , but apparently, my mom gained weight after having me which took ages to lose, she always complained that I,’ and she tried to mimic her mom’s Texan drawl, ‘ _Just plain ruined_ her figure, and that was why,’ she paused briefly, ‘But who knows really? I think they got on OK, but then he was posted out to ‘Nam and then … well … you know, but I was pissed that she moved on pretty quick afterwards ... She always had some bozo, some new loser, hanging around, but never any brothers or sisters, thank God.’

He nodded, still watching what he was doing. She didn’t need to talk about her father’s death and how painful it’d been for her; they knew enough of each other’s histories.

He added to the stack and started on another, ‘So do you want three or four?’

‘Three,’ she paused briefly, ‘So, can you flip it without the spatula? In the pan?’ It was something her dad had done, she felt like that little kid again, watching on.

‘Sure, easy,’ and he smiled, he used the spatula to check it wasn’t stuck and then put it down, ‘OK, ready? 1, 2, 3 …’ he easily tossed the pancake, so it flipped and landed on the other side.

They both laughed, relieving the tension from talking about their pasts.

‘So … don’t you cook?’ looking briefly at her.

‘Well, I can … a bit.’ she went on to clarify, ‘I tried at home, but it’d always end up with mom and me getting in some big fight as I wasn’t doing it right or to her liking. I guess I just gave up.’ She sighed, looking at her growing stack of pancakes as he placed the final one on top, ‘I prefer to stick to what I’m good at.’ she smiled.

‘OK, so you can add the blueberries and ice-cream, there’s maple syrup. Do you want butter too? Oh, and cinnamon too if you want.’

He started making his pancakes.

‘Cinnamon? Wow, you’re so fancy.’ she was only half teasing, ‘Only maple syrup, please.’

‘Try it, it’s good and _that’s_ why you like me.’ he drawled, bending forward with puckered lips.

She went forward to kiss him, shaking her head.

Joe reached into a cupboard and took out the syrup and cinnamon.

‘I think it was a good thing really that our parents didn’t have any more kids, seeing as they did such a great job with us.’ she smiled broadly, trying to keep it light but there was an underlying sadness in her eyes.

He nodded but didn’t say anything.

The awkward silence returned.

She wanted to fill it and without fully thinking through the repercussions, she heard herself asking, ‘Do you want kids?’

Then she instantly regretted it at his sharp, guarded look.

Shit, shit, shit.

She hadn’t meant _with her_.

Great dickhead, ask your boss-cum-boyfriend of what two-three months? About children? Why don’t you just propose to him while you’re at it?

She bit the inside of her cheek, admonishing herself.

Silence, except for the latest pancake sizzling in the pan.

She hurried to clarify, words tumbling over themselves to get out, ‘I don’t mean with me, I mean, no way, never, that’d be … oh my God, _such_ a disaster ...’

She broke off, panicked by his side long look at her, eyes narrowed even more, and eyebrows drawn down.

Shut up, shup, shut up!

She knew she’d be a terrible mother, but she couldn’t find the right way to say it in the light of Joe’s obvious prickling.

‘Gee, thanks.’ A definite chill had crept into his voice, his mouth now a hard line too.

She replayed what she’d said in her head, _fuck_ , that must have sounded … mean.

‘Erm, shit, no, I didn’t mean _you_ … No! I meant _me_. … But … umm … it’s not as though you’d be any good either …’ she tried to smile, covering her blunder, but knowing she now crashing headlong into another one.

God-damn-it.

Just _shut up!_

Despite himself, despite having decided long along he never wanted kids, never wanting to cause someone the same damage that’d been done to him, he was curious as to what she was going to say, and icily asked, ‘And why not?’

‘Jesus, Joe, I mean if I were to spill just a little bit of this coffee,’ and she tipped her cup threateningly, instantly he pulled his eyebrows down further.

‘ _See!_ ’ she pointed at him and said triumphantly, ‘Can you imagine how you’d be with a two-year old? With toys everywhere?’ Then, warming to her subject before he could say anything, ‘And the _noise!_ Oh my _God!_ No, volume 7 or whatever,’ and she let rip a loud, ‘Waaaaaaa!’ Which reverberated even louder in his small kitchen.

‘OK, Cameron, _enough!_ ’ he growled sharply and held up the spatula to stop her tirade. He angled himself away from her, his body stiff.

Cam stopped, and silence descended like an iron curtain again, separating them.

 _Fuck_.

This Joe was so different the the one she'd first met, the player, the asshole, he hadn't even asked her about contraception before they'd screwed in the bar. She'd automatically told him she was on the pill, but he hadn't even commented. 

_Asshole,_ all right.

But she could see the vein at his temple pulsing, and she braced herself for his comeback.

Surprisingly, he carried on with his task, but the previously pleasant atmosphere was now decidedly frosty.

She tentatively tried again, ‘I’m just saying, neither of us would be any good …,' she tailed off and then said more firmly, ' _And_ … Jesus I’m _only_ 23 so I’m like, no way! _OK?_ ’

Joe carried on producing pancakes, he had a stack of two now and poured the remaining batter to make a slightly larger one to use it all up.

God, he was, what, pissed at her for being honest, saying he'd be a terrible father?

Why he so sensitive about it? Did he _want_ kids then? The idea that he might, blew her mind.

She wouldn't ask him again, they didn't have that kind of relationship.

Geez, why was she always so intent on stuffing things up?

Disconcerted by his silence, she busied herself with adding blueberries to her plate and then gingerly edged the rest of the pack over to him.

‘Fork or spoon or both?’ trying to change both the subject and his mood.

After a beat, he said softly, ‘Spoon, please.’

He considered telling her that he thought she’d be a good mother, but he didn’t want to risk being misconstrued, so he kept silent.

He reasoned, nothing good could come out of telling a partner that. They’d probably think he wanted to act on it. That was the last impression he wanted to give.

It wasn’t something that he’d had to face much before in his 35 years, as most of his relationships had been 1. very short and 2. with guys.

But he knew enough, from being in locker rooms chats at school, having wheedled his way into the in-crowd, he'd had to listen to and occasionally counsel his so-called friends about girls wanting kids, getting serious, and guys being supposedly ‘trapped’ by unplanned pregnancies, the whole ‘shotgun marriage’ being a real thing when he was growing up.

He knew he had issues, she’d only said the truth, not meaning to hurt him, but it had anyway.

He didn't understand why it'd gotten under his skin, because he didn't like criticism? He wanted to be good at everything? Or because it mattered what _she_ thought of him?

He idly flipped the last pancake over as silence descended again, mulling it over.

Cam felt that she needed to fill the void and changed tact.

‘Hey, do you realised we had sex in every room yesterday?’ she smiled at him brightly.

He quickly thought about it, replaying the day and grinned back, ‘Oh yeah, even in here and the laundry.’ Sex was an infinitely better subject than kids, ‘So what was our final score?’

’10-4 no, wait 5,’ she corrected herself, 'To me.' she added unnecessarily, smiling broadly.

'Oh wow, see, you bring out the beast in me.' he said, grinning lecherously.

'That's my high score, what about you?'

'Mine too.' he agreed, showing his teeth to her.

‘It’s going to be real hard to beat, but do you want to try anyway? Are you ‘up’ for it.’ As she raised her eyebrows suggestively and smiled slyly.

He eased the last pancake onto his plate and covered them with syrup.

He closed in for a kiss and he smiled warmly again, ‘Hmm, we could try, but no promises though, it’s going to be a busy week. … But you could strip down and lie on the table and I'll lick maple syrup off you after breakfast …’ Waving the bottle at her ominously.

She giggled, not sure if he was actually serious, ‘Now that’s something that wouldn’t happen with kids around.’

Then she thought, and said in a conspiratory whisper and an evil glint in her eye, ‘Hey, can you imagine Gordon going at it with Donna on the washing machine?’

He released her and shook his head, ‘Cam, that’s not really an image I want in my head,’ making a face.

She laughed loudly, and then pressing her advantage as she put two scoops of ice-cream on her plate and one on his, ‘Or Donna fucking him with a butt plug?’

‘ _Cameron_ …’ he put his hands up, as though trying to block out the image, but he smiled and shook his head, yep, he’d made a monster alright.

Grinning manically, she conceded, ‘Yeah, OK, OK, that’s not an image I want either.’ Then in a dizzying turn around, ‘More ice-cream?’

He smiled, glad of the change of topic, ‘No, thanks.’ shaking his head, instead tipping the rest of the blueberries over his stack and then sprinkling on some cinnamon, before offering it to her.

‘OK, a little.’

Trusting him more after the steak tasting the night before.

He gave it to her to put on herself, ‘Come on, let’s go eat, we can wash up after and then work on beating that high score.’

She decided not to comment on the domestic task, after previous fiascos they'd had and let him lead her out to the table instead.

They say down and started eating, the ice-cream already melting over the hot pancakes.

‘Mmm-mmm,’ Cam was already sucking her spoon and looked at him expectantly, 'Have you ever had ice-cream on pancakes before?'

He shook his head, ''Nope, and I've also never had ice-cream for breakfast before.'

'Oh what a sad and tragic life you've had.' smirking broadly as she teased him.

‘So have you ever had chocolate ice-cream for breakfast before?’ he asked as he got a spoonful.

She smiled cheekily, and teased, ‘Would it shock you if I said yes?’

‘Hmm, no, not really, knowing what a stickler you are for healthy eating.’ he said dryly, but the accompanying smirk spoke volumes.

She fixed her eye on him, enjoying trading hits for once, ‘Of course, you’ve never had anything ‘unhealthy’.’

‘No, of course I have, but it’s a question of balance.’ and he took a measured sip of coffee and set it down, ‘OK, how many fillings do you have?’

‘Now, you don’t want to fight, remember?’ and she rolled her eyes, knowing where this was going, ‘So I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer, we’ve been there before, Dr. Colgate.’ Referencing, in her opinion, his total obsession with oral hygiene.

For once he let the insinuation hang in the air, he smiled congenially enough, with a small sprinkling of smugness. He knew full well she had some and he didn’t have any.

Silence reigned again, as both seemingly engrossed in eating, while searching for something less inflammatory to talk about.

‘I’ll teach you how to make pancakes, if you like.’ he offered tentatively.

‘Well, I can make them, I just tend to either undercook or burn them.’

‘The trick’s in using enough oil, having it hot enough and having a good consistency in the batter.’

She nodded, uncommittedly, and it was Joe’s turn to feel on edge.

‘So, I was thinking of getting a TV and maybe a games console, after COMDEX and the Giant’s release, that is. Any recommendations?’

‘Ohh, it’s about time, but maybe you’d just need the Giant!’ now this was a subject she could jump up and down on, ‘You know, we could code way more games for it, as well as it being compatible for cartridges. That’ll make it just as competitive, if not more so than the Commodore and smash what Texas Instruments have now. I think that’s the way gaming is going anyway; people are seeing that computers can do it all. And why buy two, three machines when you just need one, right?’

He nodded, his eyes lit up and she could see the cogs whirling, ‘So, do you think it’s the end of consoles? Will Atari follow Intellivision and cancel theirs?’ he stopped, changing subject before she could answer, ‘But games _are_ a great idea, but we’ve got to offer something new, not just cheap rip-offs of what’s already out there …’

‘I know, I know,’ she interrupted impatiently, ‘And absolutely, there’s just so much _crap_ out there right now, and everyone’s jumping on the games band wagon and that’s why there’s so much new stuff going from release straight into sale bins, but to have a machine that _doesn’t_ have games, well that’s crazy too. The cartridge market is a dodo, it’s on the brink of extinction, but it just doesn’t know it yet.’

He agreed, smiling at her through a mouthful.

She liked brainstorming this stuff with him, they both shared the same vision of making the future better.

She had a few great game ideas, and with the help of Yoyo, Lev and some of the other coders, she was sure they could come up with a whole bunch.

She thought she and Joe made a great team; she knew the tech and he knew the business side. But he also was savvy enough to realise that as well as appealing to the mass market, if it had something innovative, like her OS was, well, it would completely elevate the Giant and maybe, just maybe it would be the new standard that everyone else would follow.

The anticipation for this potential bright future, fueled everything.

It wasn’t just her and Joe that’d been swept up in it, but there was a buzz around the office too, they were all working together and making a product they believed in.

She loved going in and even though they worked long days and well into most nights, it was only for the short-term, until they could get it released. Then afterwards, she and Joe would work on something else together, she was sure.

Joe’s positively and encouragement gave her a confidence she’d never had before, as well.

She felt herself getting turned on, as the excitement moved down inside of her. Time to stop talking about work, she thought.

She downed the remainder of her coffee and wiped a finger round the mixture of melted chocolate ice-cream, blueberry juice and maple syrup on her plate.

‘Cameron, that’s …’ he stopped telling her off, as she looked straight in his eyes and sucked her finger in the most lewd way possible, allowing it to go in and out of her mouth.

He watched her, tranfixed and then in retaliation, he drew his finger around his plate, stood up and offered it to her, and she sucked on it without thinking.

Joe drew her up and pushed his tongue passionately inside her mouth instead.

She loved this side of him, and fuck the washing up, she thought smiling inwardly as she put her arms around him.

(Cam 1 - Joe 2 – Weekend Total: Cam 11 - Joe 7)

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